Ukraine's brutal war is still raging on after a failed ceasefire

At the top of the agenda during last week’s NATO Summit in Warsaw was Russian aggression against the West. In response to the ongoing conflict between Russian-backed separatists and the Ukrainian Armed Forces, NATO reiterated their support of Ukraine’s fight against Russian advancement in the east, and committed to a comprehensive assistance package.

But on the ground, the conflict rages on. Despite a Minsk ceasefire agreement, signed in 2014, and again in 2015, fighting continues to intensify along the contact line.

A recent spike in violence that included heavy shelling, mortaring, and small arms has made the past few months particularly bloody, with casualties becoming an almost daily occurrence. Despite a complete failure to implement any ceasefire, NATO insisted the Minsk agreement was still the way to go.

VICE News traveled to Avdiivka, the hottest point of contact in the conflict, where Ukrainian military and civilians have both lost faith in the so-called ceasefire and remain trapped in a brutal war.

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[HorstEwald]

I'd like to see more coverage of this conflict, Vice.

[danieldebilek]

"russia backed separatist" next time you will do something about Syria, say ISIS backed by USA

[VICENews]

VICE News traveled to Avdiivka, the hottest point of contact in the conflict, where Ukrainian military and civilians have both lost faith in the so-called ceasefire and remain trapped in a brutal war.

[carlelg]

Will Ukraine dispatch start again? I hope so....

[MrTropics]

Hey Vice News, Bring back Simon Otrovtsky please!

[cristod.]

Almost 1 Russian Roulette dispatch per day, these were good days.

[komradematt]

poland and other East european nations need to unite stronger with Ukraine and help them kick out russian occupation forces in Donbas and Ukraines Crimea

[KultAmerica]

The most insane thing is that Vice is the only network giving this conflict attention still. I have friends from Ukraine who says that things are worse than ever but no one outside of Ukraine seems to care anymore.

[RandomVideos]

Let's see some more coverage of Donbas and Syria

[nukeglob]

Russia better not fuck with nato states. If they do you can say bye to Russia

[jackydefo]

seems like ukraine have had enough time to re-arm and train they now look like soldiers

[zzman]

I see Putin's troll army has arrived in force.

[rohampasha]

I'm rooting for whoever CNN tells me to

[WalterKhayyam]

Awful lot of hate on Russia for some reason.

[LevanKGaming]

This is a clear example of how *inefficient international organizations really are* the strong countries continue doing whatever they want

[AlexA-szyj]

Thank you for covering more on the Ukraine crisis!

[poIE]

The one thing I want more from Vice is Eastern Ukraine coverage, because it went very very quiet, We want to know why

[adamais]

I mean can we really expect the Russians to behave any different? Ukraine is their strategic periphery. It has been for centuries.

I agree that 90% of Ukrainians probably want full independence from moscow (except in the most eastern districts), but I don't think Russia can be expected to give up it's buffer without a fight. Ukraine going EU or NATO is the geopolitical equivalent of Canada or Mexico joining the Warsaw Pact or CIS. It would be understandably unacceptable to the US and you can bet your ass we'd do everything in our power to prevent it.

If Russia tried pulling these shenanigans in the Baltics, Poland or Romania, by all means loose the dogs of war, but places like Ukraine and Belarus are different. They are vital strategic buffer states for Russia. Russia has been invaded countless times from the west and I think they have a completely justifiable paranoia of a Western coalition encroaching closer and closer to it's borders.

We have so many common goals with Russia. Particularly fighting Islamists and checking the rising power of China. It's a shame that all that is being thrown away so we can move NATO or the EU a few hundred km closer to Moscow in service of an outdated cold war mindset that we will one day go to war with Russia. It's insanity.

[plndytl]

I am from Donetsk region want to announce that Russia is not going to stop, I am outraged as Kremlin quietly lie to their citizens, fueling hatred of the rest of the world, my town on the front line, and I would not want to in the tomorrow aggressor came to me in the city, it meant would that I have to leave his home.

[bobby]

anti russian propaganda, clicked dislike :)