I'm Francis Dernley, and this is a special episode of Ukraine the latest.

In Western capitals, talk of ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia is rife.

But any peace in 2025, temporary or lasting, would almost certainly mean Keeve being forced to concede the territory currently occupied by Moscow that has been seized in its illegal war, the bloodiest on European soil since the Second World War.

But what does that mean in practice for those who, with elderly relatives, for instance, are

forced to remain behind? Or who lose their homes and become refugees in their own country

after the Russians arrive? On a recent trip to eastern Ukraine, in and around the frontline

city of Kharkiv, the telegraph spoke to two women displaced

by the war and who are now being supported by one of the newspaper's charities we're supporting

this year, humanity and inclusion. The first, Tetiana, lived in territory that is now held by

Moscow and went out in our episode on December the 23rd.

Today, you'll hear from Vera, whose family, including her elderly husband and his 95-year-old

mother, lived deafeningly close to the front lines when the invasion began, so much so that the

Russian shelling ruined the hearing of her mother-in-law.

They stayed for as long as they could, until they had no choice but to flee.

Testimony is hard to come by from people who lived or still live in the occupied territories.

But surely now it is vital we bear witness,

so that when we hear in the coming months,

people talk about signing people's lives away at the stroke of a pen.

We at least know what that means.

My name is Vera Svatova.

I'm 64.

I used to live with my family in a village called Udi.

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