CaliToday (17/12/2025): As the winter of 2025 grips the Donbas, a profound sense of defiance is simmering within the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). A recent investigative report by NBC News has pulled back the curtain on a growing sentiment among frontline troops: a categorical refusal to abandon their positions, even if a formal order to retreat or cede territory is issued under a potential "peace deal."
For the men holding the line near Pokrovsk and across the southern front, the talk of diplomatic concessions in Washington and Moscow feels worlds away from the muddy reality of the trenches.
"This is Not a Plan, It's Surrender"
The peace framework currently being discussed—often associated with the "Trump Plan"—which suggests freezing the front lines and effectively ceding occupied Donbas to Russia, has met a wall of resistance.
Sergeant Volodymyr Rzhavsky, a veteran fighting in the high-pressure Pokrovsk sector, didn't mince words:
"This isn't a plan. This is a total surrender. There is nothing to discuss here."
For Rzhavsky, a native of Donetsk, the conflict is deeply personal. To him, recognizing Donbas as Russian territory is a betrayal of his home, his past, and the memory of his fallen brothers-in-arms. He issued a chilling warning regarding the chain of command:
"If an order [to retreat] is given without a clear, valid explanation, it will not be carried out. It is not the leadership sitting in these trenches; it is our people. And they are the ones who have the right to decide."
The Strategy of Attrition: Why Holding Matters
Military analyst Mykola Bielieskov highlights that while the situation is critical, the Ukrainian defense is far from collapsing. Russia is burning through immense resources—manpower, drones, and equipment to make incremental gains.
The Cost of Land: Bielieskov argues that the staggering price Russia pays for every meter of Ukrainian soil is exactly what could eventually stabilize the front.
The Geopolitical Risk: Ceding the current territories would allow Russia to preserve its remaining combat power, potentially using it to launch future offensives against neighboring regions or even NATO’s eastern flank.
"Our Land is Not for Sale"
The sentiment isn't limited to the Donbas. In the south, First Lieutenant Oleksander of the Special Operations Forces (SSO) told NBC News that the army is watching the negotiations with a skeptical eye.
No Compromise on Sovereignty: "No one will concede territory because this is our land, and we are already here," he stated.
Security Minimums: Oleksander also dismissed proposals to cap the size of the Ukrainian military. He maintains that a 600,000-man standing army is the absolute "minimum security requirement" to deter future Russian aggression.
The Human Cost of the "Frozen" War
The soldiers are not warmongers; many harbor simple, poignant dreams for the future.
Dmytro Melnyk, a Paralympic finalist turned soldier, admitted: "Every day that passes, things get scarier." He longs to return to his life as an athlete and coach.
Lieutenant Oleh Zontov, 58, a veteran of two wars, emphasized that while everyone wants peace, a peace built on the abandonment of Ukrainian soil would trigger "outrage and total opposition" within the military.
Summary: The Sovereignty of the Trenches
The NBC News report underscores a critical disconnect between international diplomatic maneuvering and the will of the soldiers on the ground. The consensus among the AFU is clear: Ukraine should not be rushed into a "peace" that resembles a unilateral surrender.
For the soldiers in the Donbas, the war is not a map to be redrawn in a boardroom it is a struggle for survival where the "right to decide" has been earned in blood.