In the embattled eastern city of Slovyansk, a specialized drone unit known as Peaky Blinders is fighting to protect Ukrainian territory against constant bombardment from Russian drones, missiles, and glide bombs. The city, one of four fortress cities Ukraine refuses to cede in peace talks with Russia and the US, has become a ghost town, with many buildings reduced to rubble. Tetiana, a 21-year-old member of the unit, abandoned her dreams of becoming an opera singer to help defend her country from Russian advancement. The city's population has dwindled due to fear and intimidation tactics used by the Russians, who have already taken nearly 90% of the Donbas region but have stalled in their advances this year due to strong Ukrainian resistance. Amid the chaos, some residents like Iryna and Inga remain, clinging to life and refusing to leave their homes despite the constant air raid warnings and danger.
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With the dangers clear from the start, Tetiana and her colleague Yasha escort journalists into Slovyansk, a city now under heavy bombardment by Russian drones, missiles, and glide bombs. The city is part of Ukraine's heavily reinforced defense line known as the Fortress Belt. Russia wants Kyiv to cede control of the fortress cities, central to talks on a possible peace deal that have resumed after nine months between Ukraine, Russia, and the US in Abu Dhabi. Ukrainians worry that giving up these cities would make it easier for Russia to advance further west, including towards the capital Kyiv.
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Tetiana and Yasha are members of a drone unit known as Peaky Blinders, named after the British TV series. They carry out covert operations to protect the city from Russian drones. Slovyansk is littered with abandoned vehicles destroyed by remotely operated drones, and anti-drone netting on the roads offers no guarantee of safety. Yasha carries a shotgun as a last resort to shoot down Russian drones, while Tetiana scours her phone for military intelligence on likely threats from the air. The city has become a husk of its former self, with very few buildings unscathed and many reduced to rubble.