On the ground with Ukraine’s frontline rescue squad (dubbed)

Since the invasion of Ukraine in February, what constitutes as ‘victory’ in Russia’s war has changed for Vladimir Putin, as battlefield failures mount across the country.

Gaining ground in the Donbass and across Eastern Ukraine is all the more important to Moscow. It’s where the bloodiest battles have been fought.

The communities who live next to the frontline are caught in the crossfire, with constant shelling and increasingly difficult conditions, as power outages increase and the temperature drops as winter sets in.

Filmmaker Jack Losh spent two weeks with the firefighters of Toretsk, in Donbass, close to the line of Russian control. They’ve become reluctant experts in battlefield first aid, and the delicate task of negotiating with people who don’t want to leave their homes.

You may find some of the images in this report upsetting.

Filmed, produced and directed by Jack Losh

Local producer: Volodymyr Subotovskyi

Editor: Tim Bentham

Dani Isdale Senior Foreign Producer – News and Film Fund | Channel 4 News