This program me contains some strong language
and scenes which some viewers may find upsetting from the start
I am Irina.
I am a paramedic with the battalion on the front line.
I wasn't supposed to be here.
I should be on holidays with my mum right now.
Walking around Barcelona,
chilling.
I know how much I risk when I'm here, but I just can't imagine
living in the world without Ukraine.
Hello!
Every clay it was a missile or airplane attack.
We'd just wake up and try to drink coffee.
Like, "Boom!"
RAPID GUNFIRE
The last few weeks was really hard.
They were shelling our positions using mortars, artillery, tanks.
Ohhhh.
Before the war I used to photograph weddings.
I liked weddings very much.
These clays, a lot of emotions,
great emotions like a happy laugh, sometimes cry.
DISTANT EXPLOSION
MULTIPLE EXPLOSIONS
ROAR AP P ROACH ES
EXPLOSION
CAR ALARM
MULTIPLE CAR ALARMS
DISTANT BOOM
It was very painful.
For me, it's hard to believe that Russia starts a war with Ukraine.
LOUD HUBBUB
So, this is where my son grew up.
This is his room.
DAD LAUGHS
Ancl now I miss him very much.
My name is Maksym. I'm 19.
But do not show it to my mum.
Please!
Just a week ago, I was building plans for future.
I was studying biology in the biggest university in Ukraine.
But the war has completely changed my life
and the plans for the future.
For me, it wasn't obligatory to go to the war cos I'm a student,
but me and my friends, we decided to fight for our freedom,
for our independence.
READS OUT NAMES
Maksym. Yeah.
Some of them have children,
some of them have their own business,
but now we have another priority.
GUNS CLICK
The training is one of the most crucial parts in the war,
because if a soldier is not well trained,
he will die in a few seconds.
I'm communicating with my teachers in university.
Yesterday, my microbiology teacher,
she said that, "It's OK, Maks.
"Don't worry about your marks, about your lessons.
"Now you have an important, a more important mission."
SIREN BLARES
...and we'll see.
LOUD BOOMS
WIND WHISTLES
FOOTSTEPS
BREATHES HEAV“)!
SHE GREETS HIM
SHE SOBS
EXPLOSIONS
PLAYS PIANO
Um...
DOG BARKS
LOUD BANGS
SIREN BLARES
HARSH BUZZING
RATTUNG AND CLANHNG
This is the entrance to the station.
This is the iron gate.
They were designed in Cold War time
so they can hold a nuclear attack.
So, this is the subway station.
Near 400 people live here.
Now, most people are sleeping because it's early morning.
Not only humans hide from shelling.
A lot of animals living in the station, cats, clogs.
BIRD SQUAWKS
Birds.
Three times a clay volunteers feed people.
They even try to make the menu different every clay.
For me, subway station was like micro country in one place.
Maybe that's why I filmed so much children on stage
because I want to play with my son.
I'm glad that they are in safety.
Uh, yeah, but I want to have opportunity to see my son.
It will be his birthday.
Ancl it will be the first birthday not together.
THEY CHEER
EXCITED CRIES
Oh.
We have been in here,
and we were defending the...
...er...chemical factory.
It was like hell.
There were no good positions to defend.
One of my friends have died there
and ten of 15 guys
were injured - were seriously injured.
It was hard for us understanding
that we have lost the battle
for one of the key cities.
But Russians have many more weapons than we have.
The biggest problem is artillery and aircraft bombs.
I'm using just a Kalashnikov.
It is very hard to understand
that some of your friends, they died on your hands.
It is hard to deal with that fact.
But we are going to keep fighting.
Now United States and Great Britain
send us multiple launch rocket systems,
it completely changed the situation.
So now we are just holding our positions.
But each of us is waiting
for command to reoccupy our cities.
We are waiting for the attacking...
Attacking command.
Petrov sky. Petrov sky.
Before the war, I didn't realise how much I loved the city -
how important the city is for me.
In the beginning of this war,
I saw that Kyiv will be occupied
but it's not.
And I'm happy to see all these guys sitting on cafes.
Life goes on
and that's amazing.
It's a big surprise for all my friends that I'm still alive.
So I'm trying to meet everybody here
to have just a good time together.
I just feel happiness.
The last few weeks was really hard.
There were close fights in trenches.
It was one of the hardest rotations
for our battalion, and we lost many -
many of our soldiers.
It is hard for me to explain my feelings about those who die
and about this memorial.
It is such a powerful place.
I don't know what feelings I...
...| should feel.
There are photos of a few guys there,
who are my good friends.
There is a photo of a man -
his nickname was Sam.
If someone asked me to describe him with one word, I will say happy.
He was 22 years old.
He'd married his wife one week before he died in Severodonetsk.
Rest in peace, guys.
The war completely changed my sense of here.
It is making you harder, maybe.
Or...
...a bit more cruel.
Right now, near from our home, flying drones with bombs flying.
EXPLOSION
ARTILLERY FIRE IN BACKGROUND
GROANING
SHOUTS AND LAUGHTER
ARTILLERY FIRE
SHOUTING
CONVERSATION
CHEERING
THEY LAUGH AND CHEER
SHELLING
EXPLOSION
CONTINUAL SHELLING