Well over four years after the full-scale invasion of their country by Russia got underway, Ukrainians celebrated International Vyshyvanka Day.

This year, falling last Thursday, the day honors the traditional embroidered national shirt and all it stands for. With the war situation as it is, in some places, it was a scaled-down Vyshyvanka Day, however. For instance, in the northern city of Kharkiv, some of the festivities had to be held underground due to the threat of Russian bombardment. Still, some bolder Ukrainian patriots congregated outdoors in a city park.

"This is what distinguishes me as a Ukrainian from the rest of the world. This is who I am!" explained Kharkiv resident Yuri.

Over in Donbas, in the east of the country and the main front-line region, Vyshyvanka Day could not go ahead, as people there have more pressing concerns. But otherwise life goes on even there, too.

Around 10 kilometers from the city of Sloviansk — and 20 kilometers from the front line — Nelli was watching over agricultural machinery, as she always does, hoping for a good harvest this year.

"I'm not afraid. I worked on a sovkhoz (a larger-scale Soviet state farm – ed.) my whole life. We're sowing crops, we have livestock, we've always worked here. The men just came and parked the crop sprayers; they're spraying the fields. Everything is fine with us, we're not afraid of anyone," Nelli said.

Still, there are no shortages of reasons to remain afraid.

Roads in front-line zones are already bedecked with over a thousand kilometers of anti-drone netting. One such road leads to the city of Druzhkivka, which the ERR film crew had already visited two months ago. In the intervening time since the crew was last there, the number of residents who have been killed by Russian strikes — bombs, missiles, and drones — stretches into double figures. Two months ago, Oleg, the owner of a small shop, had expressed hope that peace would come soon. Now, he is no longer so optimistic.

"Nothing will happen this year. It seems to me that until the aggressor occupies Donbas, there won't be any negotiations at all. That is my personal opinion," Oleg said.
Well-known Ukrainian journalist Vitali Portnikov noted why Donbas must never be handed over to Putin, not even as a bargaining chip in exchange for any kind of peace.

"Sadly this is a question of the Ukrainians' patience. Whereas we managed to nullify the 'blitzkrieg' scenario, the enemy is betting only on time now. If, over a lengthy period of time, he fails to achieve his objective [however], that will curb his appetite," Portnikov said.

Some soldiers on the front line said they view the situation more philosophically.

"They are making advances, but not many... It's obvious who we're fighting against. Somewhere they advance, somewhere they don't. War is war, nothing changes. We're in defensive positions," Ukrainian serviceman Maksym recounted.

Many civilian residents of Donbas, however, have found their patience has run out, and they are finally having to leave their homes to avoid getting caught under a hail of Russian bombs or drones.

"People still have hope, but the situation does not back that up. The front line is approaching us from both the Kostiantynivka and Lyman directions," said Elmira Krasilnikova, a representative of a local charity.

The morale of the people has hardly been helped by the recent high-profile corruption scandals which have dogged the country and have involved people close to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The best-known antihero in Ukraine right now is former presidential office chef de cabinet Andrii Yermak, who was just released from detention after posting a large bail.

"It hurts because of the country. Ukraine is a very rich country, we have good people, but when this country is being robbed... It's hard for me to speak, I'm starting to well up," said Svitlana, a resident of Sloviansk.

She had worked as a saleswoman in a shop there until a Russian bomb leveled it. Now, Svitlana says she is preparing to flee the city, with the remaining store stock in tow.

Another local resident, Oleksandr, said corruption seemed to remain endemic, with the war giving it greater impetus.

"Of course, there is corruption. That money is needed for the war effort. [Former President Petro] Poroshenko promised to chop off hands, but he never chopped off a single one," Oleksandr said, referring to the former president's anti-corruption pledges in the 2014 election and then again in the 2019 election, which saw Zelenskyy – himself a former TV star who in the series "Servant of the People" finds himself elected president on an anti-corruption ticket. Yermak was head of Zelenskyy's office until late last year when he resigned after his home was raided by anti-corruption agents.

"Yermak was freed, even though he should have stayed in prison. We trust neither the government nor anyone," said Oleksandr.

"I don't think we should constantly focus on the president's former chief of staff, or other people close to Zelenskyy, or even Zelenskyy himself. We should instead talk about the fact that we have anti-corruption structures that can bring charges even against people closest to the president. As you can see, the president is doing nothing to shield these people from justice," Portnikov said.

Amnesty is also being pledged to soldiers who have been fighting since the beginning of the full-scale war. Ukraine's parliament, the Rada, and the government are reviewing the possibility of partial demobilization for one year.

Maksym said people like himself might as well stay in the army, so long have they been serving, however. "I don't see the point in [the demobilization]. You rest for a year, but nobody will hire you because one year means nothing to an employer. So you just sit at home for a year. That's possible too, but for me it makes no sense. I'll either retire or continue my work here," Maksym said.

Maksym's commander, whose call sign is "Citizen," has no intention of demobilizing before the war ends, and his reasons were as bleak as they were logical.

"I don't want my son fighting for Russia against your country, for example. That's very possible, as if we are occupied, we become a mobilization resource for Russia. I don't want him going there," "Citizen" said.

Despite Sunday's large-scale missile attack, filming continues near Kyiv of Estonian director Ilmar Raag's new thriller series "Tüdruk Tallinnast" ("The Girl from Tallinn"). Raag gave his assessment of the war situation, too. "Everyone sees that Ukraine has opportunities, but nobody dares to say it openly. Russia also has opportunities," he said.

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