By Patrick Lancaster – Reporting from the Russia-Ukraine War Frontline
Near the Seversk frontline, I spoke directly with Russian soldiers just after the United States had paused its lethal aid to Ukraine — a decision that sent ripples through international headlines. Since filming, the U.S. has resumed those weapons deliveries. But the reactions I captured from the Russian frontlines reveal how soldiers saw that short-lived pause — and how little it ultimately changed for those entrenched in daily combat.
“We’ll Win With or Without U.S. Weapons Deliveries”
When I asked the soldiers what they thought about the U.S. halting its arms shipments to Ukraine, one was direct:
“If this is the truth and we are not deceived as usual, I guess the frontline will move forward even faster.”
Others echoed the same view. They said it doesn’t matter whether Washington supplies arms or not — they remain confident in their mission.
“Our President said all SMO goals will be achieved. We’ll win regardless of what the U.S. or Europe does,” one mortar operator told me.
Still, most admitted the situation on the ground hadn’t changed noticeably after the freeze. Shelling continued, Ukrainian drone activity remained intense, and morale stayed focused on long-term objectives.
Frontline Reality: Difficult Terrain, Relentless Drones
The Russian troops I spoke to had just rotated out of Seversk — a hotly contested front. They described their position as “stably tense,” complicated by the terrain and Ukraine’s advantage on elevated ground.
More than one soldier pointed to the massive increase in Ukrainian FPV (First-Person View) drone usage as a defining change in the war.
“They can hit one person with five FPV drones at once. It's like the war has gone digital,” a soldier said.
Despite this, they reported steady — if slow — advances. “It’s not like in other directions. Here the advance is harder,” they explained, citing logistics and terrain as the main factors.
What They Want Americans and Europeans to Know
Several fighters expressed frustration with how Western media frames the war:
“People in the West only hear that Russia is the aggressor. That’s all. But no one asks why this really started.”
One soldier from the Luhansk People’s Republic (LPR) told me, “I haven’t had a Ukrainian passport in over 20 years. I’m Russian.” He, like many others in Donbass, sees the war not as an invasion but as a liberation from Kyiv’s anti-Russian policies and language bans.
Another fighter said he joined not out of obligation, but patriotism:
“I was fed up watching children being used as human shields in videos. I knew I had the skills to help. So I did.”
"They’re Not Our Enemies. They’re Brainwashed."
In one emotional exchange, a soldier told me he didn’t view Ukrainian soldiers as enemies.
“They’re normal people. But they’ve been brainwashed to think we’re the bad ones.”
He believed that if peace were possible, the two sides could live together. But as he explained, peace couldn’t be negotiated at the level of individual fighters — it must come from political leaders, which seems unlikely in the current environment.
The Big Picture: Aid May Resume, But Determination Doesn’t Change
Since this report was filmed, U.S. weapons aid to Ukraine has resumed — part of a pattern that’s become familiar in this conflict: pause, pressure, resume. But on the ground, Russian soldiers say these shifts don’t affect their resolve.
“Until they understand they can’t break the Russian spirit,” one soldier told me, “this war won’t end.”
Their message is clear: they believe their mission is just, their cause is rooted in defense, not aggression, and they’re prepared to see it through — with or without Western interference.
Final Word
I’m Patrick Lancaster, and this is what I do — bring you firsthand reports from where the war is actually happening, not from press rooms or podiums. The Western mainstream media won’t show you these voices. But I will.
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More reports are coming. I’m moving even closer to the frontline now. Stay tuned.
— Patrick Lancaster, reporting from the battlefield
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