Between life and death in front-line Krasnohorivka

Running shops just a kilometer from Russian forces, living entirely off humanitarian aid, and surviving one day at a time in basements after direct hits to their apartment: this is how the remaining Ukrainian civilians live in the front-line city of Krasnohorivka, just 15 kilometers west of the Russian-occupied city of Donetsk.
For the people here, the war came to them not in 2022 but almost ten years ago, during the initial Kremlin-coordinated covert invasion that began in 2014. The situation since then has been difficult but largely stable until recently, when Russia took nearby Avdiivka and began advancing across the front line. The Kyiv Independent visited Krasnohorivka in February 2024, just two weeks before Russian forces unsuccessfully attempted to break into the city.
Timecodes:
00:00 - Intro
00:46 - Krasnohorivka, a city just 1 kilometer from the front line
02:50 - Shop, which is still working despite shelling
04:24 - Krasnohorivka has been on the edge of fighting since 2014
05:21 - Russian positions are just 800 meters away!
06:45 - Why do people still live in Krasnohorivka
07:55 - How Russia has destroyed the city
09:44 - Daily life of the family that stays in the city
13:44 - Resident Larysa shows her destroyed apartment
14:34 - Two air-dropped bombs!
15:22 - The situation in Krasnohorivka is soon to become critical
#ukraine #zelensky #ukrainewar #ukrainewar #donbass

[@kyivindependent]

Thank you for watching this video. If you enjoy our work, you can help us to grow our channel by becoming a subscriber.

[@thelastaustralian7583]

The most beautiful Lady mopping the Floor . Had Three Angels with her . Her Dogs ; )

[@diaryofacrankykid7270]

Thank you for risking your lives to make this video. Subscribed!

[@SFbayArea94121]

🤡 we’re wasting money on. You will all have everything that has already and will come to you 😂😂

[@fredrickmgavilenzi6678]

🤣🤣🤣 Good propaganda!!

[@thelastaustralian7583]

Yes those Dogs tricked me LOL...@@fredrickmgavilenzi6678

[@rogerpitcher2636]

The women with shop is a true hero for 'world women's day' - truly amazing.

[@TheSelfmadesupport]

I thought the same thing. Incredibly brave woman. I hope she's doing well

[@K0ntakt5]

@@TheSelfmadesupport simp

[@K0ntakt5]

@rogerpitcher2636 simp. despite the fact it is the primarily the men who do the fighting and dying, you find a way to worship a woman on international woman's day.

[@TheSelfmadesupport]

@@K0ntakt5 You obviously don't know what "Simp" means. Already cringe kid

[@K0ntakt5]

@@TheSelfmadesupport way to double down on a losing bet simp

[@michaelkalinowski9027]

Exceptional reporting - a story that needs to be told and shared widely.

[@kyivindependent]

Thank you for support!

[@SFbayArea94121]

@@kyivindependent😂😂😂 🤡

[@user-cn9qd6gk9k]

Amazing report by Francis and Olena as always! Keep it up guys!

[@nostalgiablows]

Absolutely excellent reporting. Thank you for sharing this with us.

[@joebenson528]

Krasnohorivka a pro-RU city is nowhere near the front. This video isn't showing us anything.

[@canopus_reborn]

⚔️🇷🇺♥️🇮🇳⚔️

[@jimmorris5328]

Incredible courage to go documentary style in so deeply on enemy lines. Fantastic watch!

[@kyivindependent]

Thank you!

[@devansa125]

So far there is no RuAF there.Tough nut to crack.

[@ronelle.p1824]

Thanks to your brave reporting. Please be safe. May God protect you. 🙏 ❤

[@leannastoufer6333]

Thank you for this powerful video. I appreciate the stellar journalism at Kyiv Independent.

[@helenv.1353]

It will be difficult for me to forget the tragedy of war etched into the faces of Larysa and Serhiy from Krasnohorivka. Thank you to Francis Farrell and the Kyiv Independent team in risking your lives to document this moment in history and to Larysa and Serhiy for helping us to understand the nightmare that has become their lives.

[@simonburton5434]

I see a red kangaroo patch. And an Ozzy accent. And that is a great thing.

[@allydea]

Patrick Lancaster from the other side. Excellent! Stay safe!

[@placeswelive5388]

You are shitting me, right?

[@allydea]

@@placeswelive5388 No. Why would you think that?

[@placeswelive5388]

@@allydea Why? Because you are comparing Patrick, whose content is unique, to this dude, whose content is ... yeah ...

[@allydea]

@@placeswelive5388 Everybody has to start somewhere, and this is not a bad start imo.

[@placeswelive5388]

@@allydea Sure but that doesn't make him the Patrick Lancaster of the other side. Patrick has had to earn that over the past decade of reporting on this war.

[@blazejnozko9873]

I'm glad that it is also possible to listen and watching Patrick Lancaster who is bringing the view of the other side of the conflict also risking his life. Don't you people understand that the Russian so called minority had been very often majority in those regions and discriminated for years by Kiev regim.

[@DominikGentener]

Thank you very much for this impressive report from the frontline. Stay safe always.

[@Wolfhound223]

Heart breaking story guys. Stay safe.

[@eveli1593]

Brave reporter(s)!

[@taxofonas]

heartbreaking to watch, but important reporting

[@timsecord8207]

Excellent reporting!🇨🇦

[@westbenchmancave]

🇷🇺 🇷🇺 Canada 🇨🇦 supports Russia 🇷🇺 🇷🇺 🇷🇺

[@ginniemess]

​@@westbenchmancave😂🤡 in your wet dreams only, bothead

[@spotez9547]

What is excellent pls explain me?Pure propaganda all fake and tweeted.Separatists are bad in Ukraina cause people in this town waiting Russsian army to liberated them from Nazis.But Separatist in Taiwan,Kosovo,Sirya etc are good freedom fighters.What a double standards that is the reason 90 % of world hate west and supported Mighty Rusians.Do not be surprised after falling Ukraina thanks to those reports paid to lie you.

[@timsecord8207]

@@westbenchmancave - not in this lifetime!

[@westbenchmancave]

@@timsecord8207 Canada 🇨🇦 supports Russia 🇷🇺 by ignoring ukraine requests for money and gear. No more money for ukraine. It’s over. All over.

[@mykhailokushko3473]

Great reporting, KI setting a bar high!

[@slavikk6712]

It’s so surreal to see a shop that’s open in an active war zone

[@ZxZ239]

Crazy she have a shop this close to the front line.

[@lag3843]

She is a spy kkkk.

[@philipminns1849]

Superb reporting Francis, many thanks ! Please keep going but above all, keep safe ! Slava Ukraini !

[@ivannikolic5718]

🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺🇷🇺

[@LearningSpanishwithDrL]

Peace to Ukraine!

[@nikitailchenko8988]

Great job!

[@ninagomes7713]

🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@brentlangford]

That woman in the shop is bad ass. Wife material.

[@berteisenbraun7415]

She Definitely is a SOLID WOMAN! I like Her, She is a Patriot.

[@jeanmay-millman4124]

I pray you stay safe 🙏

[@Kerrie_Smith_Khipu]

Francis, you are doing amazing work there in Ukraine. Thank you from Australia 🇦🇺 Слава Україні 🇺🇦

[@monsieurgrigny]

Excellent report

[@tarjeik7162]

3:20 LEGEND!!

[@davidbrancaleone3039]

Farrell is a first class reporter. Great too when he was interviewed by Telegraph's Ukraine: The Latest. I notice a pattern in Kremlin troll responses. They particularly dislike factual reporting and well-researched analysis and in-depth commentary. And this I find significant. To my mind, it suggests that high quality investigative journalism is also an effective weapon, precisely because it is not propaganda, however much the trolls want people to think it is. Their unsupported claims and wild accusations, on the other hand...

[@user-bl1sb8nl2o]

To the people there my heart goes out to you all. Ukraine Forever💪🇺🇦⚔️🇺🇸🙏.

[@ganlesat]

WE ARE IN U.E. AND -NO SUPPORT UKRAINE-! LONG LIVE RUSSIA!!! Z !!!!😂😂😂😂

[@MrsRabbitohs]

Very brave and exceptional reporting. Thank you for bringing this to us. It pains me to watch how these people suffer daily.😢 #westandwithUkraine God bless

[@59vlada]

RF didn't start the war back in 2014. We all know who did it and how.

[@sergiikuzmenko9917]

What are writing? RF was the ine who started war in 2014

[@nickjohansen7875]

Great report, mate. Greetings from Australia 🇦🇺. ❤ukraine 🇺🇦. Stay safe, ffs.

[@jordyvermeulen2121]

why dont u say ukraine STARTED the war in 2014 though ?

[@gordonfernandes6873]

Once you're gone, The Habit stops.. Being a Habit 🤔😳☠️

[@Abu_obaida54]

The women in the shop omg 🇺🇦🙏

[@IvanIgnath]

Most of those people dont care who rules them - they welcome every army passing by.

[@horoshkoaleksandr273]

like it was in whole Europe during WW2, most locals welcomed germans

[@vasili-jy8yb]

Lmao, most locals are pro Russians.

[@kurtekerhaugen9755]

Wow… what to say. Sad, terrible, hard to watch. Slava Ukraini🇺🇦💪 Stay strong our brothers and sisters in Ukraine❤

[@Nadrealist]

That people should be evacuated asap

[@devansa125]

They are awaiting russians.

[@tybanks5817]

thank you to everyone at the Kyiv Independent for your incredible journalism

[@jaffajafa]

Well, he should be in kyive reporting about the corruption and the oppression of opposition political parties and other independent new outlets.

[@kistonkiston8420]

Excellent Reporting!

[@Chris-jt4pl]

any word on if the shop owner survived now that russia has taken 60-70% of the city?

[@somewhereua]

Excellent awareness from this guy, his knowledge of the frontlines allows to see a real close up

[@KaliYugaMan1947]

Ukrainians ❤love their animals..I love Ukrainians!!!From another Australian...I will keep following you..stay safe mate!

[@johnglover3682]

Excellent reporting. On Wednesday, I mailed the Speaker of the House of Representatives a letter and a photo of the destruction of the Ria Lounge in the end of June at Kramatorsk, Ukraine from a russian missile attack when I was there in July of 2023, and a photo of a 16-year-old waitress who was in the Ria Lounge when the missile struck it. Of course, I asked the Speaker for an up and down vote on the floor for the $60 Billion aid for Ukraine. The previous week, I had sent a very expensive photo album to the Speaker of my Trip to Irpin and Bakhmut in June of 2022 with maybe 25 to 30 photos of destruction of apartments and businesses. Today, I couldn't stand it any longer thinking that the supposedly smart ;people of Milwaukee weren't thinking enough about Ukraine and the aid. I wore my armor plates and vest to the courthouse, where I practice criminal defense. Some know I've been to Ukraine one, two, three, or four times, but I am disappointed in the lack of positive responses from too many. I don't hear anyone saying they are donating or calling their senators or representatives. It's a dark hole here in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA. Don't worry, I'm returning to Ukraine this summer.

[@devansa125]

Just tell how many mercenaries had been illuminated at that hotel?

[@mikesaunders4694]

Good effort but sadly Johnson is in the pay of Moscow….just like his puppet master ☹️

[@ronald_kim]

God bless you, good sir! You are amazing!

[@rafflesmaos]

@@devansa125 At least a billion NATO generals. Also if you had any desire for truth and facts you'd know that there are no "mercenaries" in Ukraine.

[@StevenKeery]

JohnGlover: God keep you safe, you are a good and decent man.

[@paul.impalacraftupholstery3999]

Sad. War is savage, war is sad..

[@JameShame-hf8jt]

Hate it when pets have to be abandoned... How annoying, it was getting like that ages ago, sad

[@berteisenbraun7415]

I hate it when the PEOPLE ARE KILLED BECAUSE OF A MAD MAN!

[@jessed1709]

Anyone know who this journalist is?

[@paulmitchell5349]

Farrell

[@Armored_Ariete]

amazed this isnt propaganda

[@blakeley38]

“No rebuilding “ 😂😢its a war man

[@abuqasimafridi6903]

But explain what was the reason for that these people are in this situation?

[@berteisenbraun7415]

Because of ONE MAD MAN! 😠

[@abuqasimafridi6903]

@@berteisenbraun7415 I don't think so bro.the reason can be some other things. But you don't want to explain.

[@berteisenbraun7415]

Well the Mad Man that Runs Ru=÷ia can't stop Killing People! He Started this Special Operation. If you look back he says "I Ordered this Operation!

[@tompoynton]

Get rid of the music

[@AntonioMarques-ip9eu]

Stay strong Ukraine! Slava slava

[@user-db5te2vz2r]

During the ww2, my mother lived in the south of france and they ATE all the songbirds, cats AND dogs ! NO BARKING IN THOSE DAYS.

[@paulwilliams698]

I like the red kangaroo on your jacket, stay safe.

[@RLSouza83]

Who want make any defence this dirty place poor peoples leave the own luck very sad where the mans can arrive while they if hide others died for nothing one ganancy without measure

[@topeagle6248]

So what you are saying is Krasnohorivka's people did not wanted Kiev's regime and somehow you liberated them .

[@amlanmishra9155]

Two weeks before they are reporting the same thing from the avdiivka and now they are reporting the same thing from the Krasnogorvka.

[@davidnikon8501]

What's with the dramatic music and tape recordings of dogs barking.

[@JameShame-hf8jt]

Probably abandoned pets, people Are forced to leave them. Saddest part wars. Save the animals

[@woflespirit]

🤗

[@placeswelive5388]

The Soviets had built EVERYTHING in these towns. You have built shit in the past 33 years.

[@CeylonLastMile]

I wonder why most ordinary Ukrainian people are not fury at Russia.

[@nenadpodgorica9249]

Becouse they are russians and wait for liberation.

[@PlumbuM871]

Because they are Russian and have always been. And then a stupid clown came from another part of the world and asked his stupid question

[@johncale1849]

Because they know the truth

[@terike9738]

BECAUSE HALF OF THEM ARE ETHNIC RUSSIANS WHO HAVE BEEN BOMBED AND KILLED BY UKRAINIAN FORCES FOR 10 YEARS.

[@michaszrama5267]

🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@benjawansirikul6622]

Praying for Soldiers 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦be safe 🙏 ❤❤❤❤❤❤

[@rubiconklbrutorowman7577]

WE thank you for your dangerous area war zone life n death real n live conditions to our living room! We thank you so much indeed Kyiv Independent! USA

[@AquaTeenHungerForce_4_Life]

Great video! 5:06 Thank you for saying this! It is not said often enough. Also! Careful with those arm movements while that close to the contact line, Russians might take you for someone in charge, NATO mercenary. 😉

[@variaxaxis1176]

Actually they are a NATO mercs pretending as reporter..

[@leniszameit]

slava ukraini.slava heroiam

[@user-cl6qs1vn6h]

urine is dead

[@MCSonixx]

💙💛💙💛💙💛

[@gaurav007]

Global Awareness drive Peace campaign is on. Join our Peace campaign.

[@likar-cy3rp]

God protect Ukraine.

[@devansa125]

Are you sure?

[@Diavolo33]

false god

[@likar-cy3rp]

​@@devansa125 А как плохо вооруженная Украина смогла вьІстоять против многочисленной росии. Как и маленький Израиль в полном окружении арабських стран.Только с Божьей помощью и при поддержке Джонсона,ДудьІ и Польши, Америки и других западньІх стран.

[@devansa125]

@@likar-cy3rp Смотри,Израилю была отгружена на 26 млр,более 100 бортов вооружения с 7 окт по сей день.Украина получила за 90 млр чистого вооружение за два года.Без поддержки Запада к декабрю 22 года все было с нэнькой закончено.

[@likar-cy3rp]

@@devansa125 Видишь какая росия гнилая не может справиться с такой слабой Украиной. бьІли бьІ у тебя мозги тьІ бьІ спросил у путина где деньги?!)

[@petyovelkov6808]

Ukrainian armed with western weapons advanced backwards. Russian armed with shovels retreats forwards.

[@jorgecaballerocastillo2435]

Slava Ukraine!

[@devansa125]

Within Russian Federation.

[@tomk3732]

And .... now its Russia.

[@gocgogi]

why doesn't anyone rescue these animals(dogs)???😢😢😢

[@JameShame-hf8jt]

I just said the same. Heartless world. Fucking mad. Abandoned pets forced to starve... I would save All dogs

[@JameShame-hf8jt]

Pets

[@BoxaBole]

Kiev - independent (doesn't sound independent)

[@ivanpostnikov5517]

💛💙

[@niKYs007]

Why America and British forces so rectulant to help Ukraine directly tho...russia ain't nothing to fear.

[@user-po5fx4sk9o]

that's because you have no knowledge of what Russia really means

[@niKYs007]

@@user-po5fx4sk9o nothing itz zero man

[@terike9738]

Cretin. Get educated. Russia has the strongest army in the world and are methodically destroying Ukraine's.

[@elavtwi]

That's very intense! And so sad to see what Russia has done to its neighbour.

[@BigAndTall666]

All the trolls that these videos attracts pisses me off!!! 🇺🇦🇺🇦🇺🇦🍻🇩🇰✌️

[@1jediwitch]

#СлаваУкраїні! #ГероямСлава 🇺🇦🔱Unity🇩🇪🇫🇷🇵🇱🇸🇪🇪🇺 Ukraine 🇺🇦 European Union 🇪🇺 Netherlands 🇳🇱 Italy 🇮🇹 New Zealand 🇳🇿 Canada 🇨🇦 Czechia 🇨🇿 Denmark 🇩🇰 Romania 🇷🇴 Turkey 🇹🇷 Estonia 🇪🇪 Latvia 🇱🇻 Lithuania 🇱🇹 Bulgaria 🇧🇬 Finland 🇫🇮 Sweden 🇸🇪 Norway 🇳🇴 Moldova 🇲🇩 Poland 🇵🇱 Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 Slovakia 🇸🇰 Serbia 🇷🇸 Croatia 🇭🇷 Belgium 🇧🇪 Germany 🇩🇪 Luxembourg 🇱🇺 France 🇫🇷 Spain 🇪🇸 UK 🇬🇧 Wales 🏴󐁧󐁢󐁷󐁬󐁳󐁿 Ireland 🇮🇪 Scotland 🏴󐁧󐁢󐁳󐁣󐁴󐁿

[@user-cj1ft4mw2l]

COZ YOU WANT IT THAT WAY,WHY DONT YOU STOP THAT LIL MAM TO PROX WAR IN YOUR COUNTRY?

[@zarkokop]

Luckily, it's going ti be over soon.

[@Trader98V]

So called independent ha

[@susanfrost6445]

😢😡 ❤️🇺🇦❤️

[@irimaximustv]

An Aussie 🦘 near the front line reporting the truth that needs to be told. From another Aussie much respect 🫡 Slava UA our sister country, love from AU 🇦🇺 !

[@PlumbuM871]

Have you been related to them for a long time, clown? Let me guess the date. 02/24/2022? 🤣🤣🤣🤡

[@user-gi9kp9sq7k]

Oooooooooooooooo

[@jodypierson3137]

You mean Americas war using Ukrainian people just didn’t start February 22, it started well before that .

[@jaminga123]

I wonder why his daughters are in Russia and didn’t flee to Ukraine? Probably because they are Russian speakers .. something to think about …

[@devansa125]

Of course.They hate Zeleinskiy's regime.

[@jaminga123]

I would say they probably feel more safe speaking the language they grew up with in Russia, while in Ukraine if they don't start learning ukrainian, they might be hated@@devansa125

[@johncale1849]

Same reason he has not evacuated - these people obviously support Russia

[@yankoyankov7457]

Why aren't you on the front , like a soldat / soldier , but you're hiding like a journalist At 7:26 ... Vitaliy, why isn't it on the front to fight, but is waiting for a social help ?

[@Rylo5]

It's spelled kiev

[@zacleblanc2519]

It's MA'AM!!

[@sultanbaialy1543]

Слава Украине ! Слава Збройным Силам Украины !

[@AyoRabiu-ss9fr]

Terrible

[@viktorkholodyuk5739]

Ці люди що залишилися це ждуни, їхні діти в росії.

[@zacleblanc2519]

Why is Ukraine losing some much ground to Russia these days?

[@devansa125]

The problems are manpower,lack of shells and too much losses in artillery units.

[@Hbmd3E]

propaganda is not enough to win

[@paulmitchell5349]

For either side.....@@Hbmd3E

[@user-hj6ej6kg6x]

Потому что Зеленский распродал поставленное Западом оружие.

[@PlumbuM871]

Because these stupid clowns decided that they would pull it off after listening to advice from around the corner

[@taralown7023]

excellent job independant. I really wonder how many of those people who stay are waiting for Russians. And why so many Ukrainian aid agencies risk their lives to still help them. Answer: cause Ukranians are better than me. I would not risk my life to help people who are waiting for Russian terorirsts.

[@Razic1984]

As always American voice overlay.. I suggest watch Patrick Lancaster unedited free speach not ment to show just one side...

[@rafflesmaos]

Nobody cares about what Discount Lord Haw-Haw has to say.

[@Razic1984]

@@rafflesmaos Lord Haw ?

[@Razic1984]

@@rafflesmaos if you are trying to say no one care about Patrick Lancaster then I will tell you to have a look at views and likes on his videos compared to this propaganda. Guess more care then you think

[@rafflesmaos]

@@Razic1984Lord HawHaw. Look him up. Plenty of people listened to him too.

[@Razic1984]

@@rafflesmaos wtf has lord Haw to do with It. Lol

[@africaunite3823]

Cap!!!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bernardobagundo1532]

Ukraine is being defeated

[@algijura]

2025