Ukrainian frontline soldiers demand Ukraine be part of talks between US and Russia

It has been three years since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine

This week marked three years since Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine and as the war enters its fourth year, despite negotiations taking place between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin, many Ukrainians feel that peace has never been further away.

Nathalie Vlasenko, 32, was a tour guide in Odessa prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine but now uses her knowledge and communication skills as a medical interpreter and guide for foreign journalists on the front line.

Talking to JOE as part of the MOD’s Frontline of Freedom campaign, she said: “It was a dream job because I got to meet so many nice people from around the world, some of them still keep in touch, and they sometimes support my fundraising for medics, or just write me supportive messages, which means a lot to me.”

Nathalie worked in tourism for ten years prior to the invasion, showcasing the sights and sounds of Odessa to travellers from the UK, US, Europe and Australia, now she leads journalists to the site of the latest Russian attacks.

She said: “My job was about culture, making people acquainted with my country. Now everything is different, I work in Donbas with the foreign medics and as a fixer with a foreign journalist.

“I travelled round Ukraine but mostly to the frontline zones. My journalist joked that now I’m like a military tour guide. It’s not entertainment, it’s not sightseeing, it’s more about visiting some affected areas, doing interviews, or just showing the results of another Russian attack.”

'We didn't start this war'

The 32-year-old wanted to set the record straight after Donald Trump’s comments last week when he said Ukraine should ‘have never started this war’. 

Nathalie said: “All of Ukraine wants justice for the war crimes Russia is guilty of. I dream of our territories being returned to us and of peace but I’m not sure this is possible, not in a military way but maybe in some diplomatic way - some negotiations - if they ever take place. 

“We really need Ukraine to be a part of that, not just offering some good deals to Russia or playing by Russia's conditions. Our conditions, our needs must be supported because it is Russia who invaded Ukraine, we didn't start this war."

It is a message echoed by Mitya, an FPV drone operator on the frontline.

“As far as I'm concerned, if there are peace agreements, Ukraine should be a part of those discussions and Ukraine retain control of our territories, because a lot of men and women have died and have given their lives for Ukraine. 

“It's not only four years, it’s been going on since 2014 and so, knowing all of that, those people would want that as well. Look at Russia, how large it is, and look at us. Their ambitions are not right.”

The 25-year-old skateboarder and video blogger remembers the day the war started as if it was today. After a night out with friends he headed home only to be woken up in the middle of the night by his mum as an aerial attack rained down on their city. 

He recalls: “In the first hours after the invasion, I called my friends and asked what we were going to do. We decided that we were going to go to our territorial defence unit. That's where some of the ex-military were already protecting the town.”

The balance and attention to detail Mitya required to be a skilled skateboarder prepared him for his role as a FPV drone operator. “It has given me the ability to keep calm under pressure as well. There have obviously been some scary moments when bullets were flying very close, but I managed to keep calm and keep my composure.”

A 'new war'

However, Mitya talks of the new challenges that are facing units like his as they enter their fourth year of fighting since the full-scale invasion.

“This is a new war right now. It's a war of technologies, and all of these drones and aerial devices are being used. So that's why there are new needs for units like ours.

“The situation is always dangerous, and the last couple of weeks, have been quite tricky, because we've had new challenges. 

“Russians started using some special drones that are connected by fibre optics. So that means that the drone is literally connected by fibre that can run up to 15 kilometers. And so they have a constant connection, they have constant signal. They can’t be taken down by mufflers.”

On Wednesday, 27 February, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer met with Trump with the Russia-Ukraine war high on the agenda. One of the moments from that meeting which grabbed headlines was Trump back-tracking on comments he made about Zelensky, accusing the Ukrainian president of being a dictator, "Did I say that?" he asked.

While there is still considerable uncertainty about the practicalities of a peace plan for Ukraine, it has been widely reported that Starmer 'won over' Trump which, along with his apparent u-turn of opinion on the Ukrainian leader, could give hope to the country.

The meeting came after the prime minister announced the biggest increase to defence spending since the Cold War amid fears over Donald Trump’s commitment to European security.

The Ministry of Defence told JOE about their continued commitment to Ukraine, saying: “We have pledged £3 billion every year for Ukraine - for as long as is needed, whilst this year we have committed £4.5bn of support – more than ever before.

“Our government is stepping up support for Ukraine's war fighters to put them in the best possible position for any talks. That’s why we announced a new £150 million firepower package last week, providing more drones, tanks and air defence systems to Ukraine.

“We are also proud that Operation Interflex has trained more than 52,000 Ukrainian personnel on UK soil and that the 13^th partner nation, Albania, recently joined.”