The mayor of the town of Pokrovsk in Donetsk Region, Ruslan Trebushkin, has recorded a video message to Ukrainian President Vladimir Zelensky asking him to conclude a ceasefire with Russia.
The Russian troops’ offensive is currently underway, including towards Pokrovsk, and the town itself is several kilometers from the front line and is constantly being shelled.
“Vladimir Alexandrovich, the residents of the Pokrovsk community want peace. Most people in Ukraine want peace, People do not want to fight, they are tired. The same military who are on the front line, who have not been changed for a long time, people want to go home. They want you to give peace, Vladimir Alexandrovich, we believe in you. Make peace and let people live,” said Trebushkin.
The military administration of Pokrovsk responded to the mayor in social networks and said that the city is now under martial law, and the mayor himself “is on a service respite.” The local military brass urged not to “make concessions before irresponsible political maneuvers.”
According to November polls, the lowest proportion of supporters of the continuation of hostilities is in eastern Ukraine: in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya and Donetsk regions.
If only wishing for peace was as easy as scrolling through social media… sending good vibes and hoping the big guys finally get the message 🤞
This situation is heartbreaking and shows how deeply people just want an end to the violence and a chance for normal life to return. 💔
It is clear from this situation that the desire for peace is deeply felt by people living on the front lines, whose daily reality is shaped by violence and uncertainty. The mayor’s plea highlights the human cost of conflict and the exhaustion experienced not only by civilians but also by the soldiers who have been continuously deployed. The contrasting responses from local authorities reflect the complex dynamics between the call for immediate peace and the strategic considerations in wartime. This tension underscores how difficult it is to find common ground when the stakes are so high and opinions vary across different regions and groups involved in the conflict.