Sergei

Artem couldn't believe that he was hearing his fellow brothers-in-arms talking about what they would do after the war ended. Going to travel, going back to their normal civilian lives.

Artem couldn't believe that he was hearing his fellow brothers-in-arms talking about what they would do after the war ended. Going to travel, going back to their normal civilian lives.

To hear a fellow soldier even whisper the possibility that the fight could be over is still not something Artem's used to. The party line of any Ukrainian soldier, of any Ukrainian really, is that they'll fight to the end, and the fight may never end. Expressing any sort of doubt feels almost unpatriotic.

To hear a fellow soldier even whisper the possibility that the fight could be over is still not something Artem's used to. The party line of any Ukrainian soldier, of any Ukrainian really, is that they'll fight to the end, and the fight may never end. Expressing any sort of doubt feels almost unpatriotic.

But I talked to a Ukrainian expert who's in contact with many high-ranking officials in the army, who told me that while many soldiers remain diehard and committed to keep fighting till the end, another group, which is growing, is made up of people who are getting increasingly weary of this war. Ukrainians recently suffered a series of setbacks and defeats.

But I talked to a Ukrainian expert who's in contact with many high-ranking officials in the army, who told me that while many soldiers remain diehard and committed to keep fighting till the end, another group, which is growing, is made up of people who are getting increasingly weary of this war. Ukrainians recently suffered a series of setbacks and defeats.

And the expert says this group likes that Trump is someone who will change things up. Artem thought about this moment with his commander for a while. What had he meant by that? Did he actually think this war would end? Artem told me this. A few days later, in the midst of heavy bombardment, he studied his commander's face. He looked like he was all in.

And the expert says this group likes that Trump is someone who will change things up. Artem thought about this moment with his commander for a while. What had he meant by that? Did he actually think this war would end? Artem told me this. A few days later, in the midst of heavy bombardment, he studied his commander's face. He looked like he was all in.

And so, Artem decided that his commander didn't mean what he said. He told me he'd figured it out. His commander didn't actually think the war was ending. He was just testing his units. The truth is, these guys don't think about Trump all that much. They've got other things on their minds.

And so, Artem decided that his commander didn't mean what he said. He told me he'd figured it out. His commander didn't actually think the war was ending. He was just testing his units. The truth is, these guys don't think about Trump all that much. They've got other things on their minds.

One soldier told me that when you're in the rear, far from the front line, it's easy to imagine all the possibilities of what could happen next. But when you're on the front, it's like all of that collapses into this one linear logic. The weapon in front of you, the tank next to you, the amount of ammo you have left. The present. No before and no after.

One soldier told me that when you're in the rear, far from the front line, it's easy to imagine all the possibilities of what could happen next. But when you're on the front, it's like all of that collapses into this one linear logic. The weapon in front of you, the tank next to you, the amount of ammo you have left. The present. No before and no after.

Those are the moments he said that feel the greatest for him. When he just does what he can with what he has. When he's not speculating about what will be.

Those are the moments he said that feel the greatest for him. When he just does what he can with what he has. When he's not speculating about what will be.