Since 2014, the east of Ukraine has been a shield against the Russian invasion. People in the east felt that a full-scale war was inevitable, and it is this area that is currently preventing the occupiers from advancing deeper into Ukraine. “The future of the whole of Ukraine depends on how the east survives. We are doing everything we can to make sure it survives,” says Deputy Defense Minister Oleksandr Pavliuk.

He talks about preparations for the great defense of Ukraine, the first days of heroic resistance and fierce battles with the Russian occupiers.