In a cramped dugout, every nearby blast shakes loose a shower of dirt from the ceiling, tugging strips of black plastic from the walls.
Above, the war never quiets – Russian glide bombs and artillery shells roar past in relentless succession – keeping Ukrainian soldiers sealed underground, emerging only to fire the M777 howitzer hidden near their trench.
Ukrainian servicemen of the 148th artillery brigade load ammunition into a M777 howitzer before firing towards Russian positions at the frontline, Zaporizhzhia, Ukraine, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo)
Nothing along the eastern front hints at an imminent end to the fighting.
Diplomatic overtures seem so far removed from the battlefield that many here dismiss them outright, their doubts deepened by what they see as months of unfulfilled U.S. promises to end the war swiftly.
