AGERPRES special correspondent Cristian Lupascu reports: Soldiers are the only reason why Ukraine is still around, without them the country would have been long since conquered and destroyed by Putin, coordinator of the Donetsk and Luhansk border troops, Lieutenant Colonel Serhiy Osachuk told AGERPRES.

"I think that every soldier who holds a weapon in his hand today, giving people the chance to survive, is aware that the fate of Ukraine depends on him. At this moment, the soldiers are the only reason why Ukraine is still around. Without them, our country would have been conquered and destroyed by Putin since long," said Osachuk.

"For the people of Ukraine this is a matter of life and death. You have been on the front line many times and you saw first-hand the effects of attacks with all types of warfare, missiles, artillery, airplane bombs or tanks. The Russian occupier brings nothing but death. For the people it means a permanent choice. Every Ukrainian is living on the edge. Today they are still alive, tomorrow they may be killed. Putin's missiles fly thousands of kilometers and don't care about Ukraine's administrative borders. No one can feel safe. That's why today, the people has just one desire, to unite, fight back and drive the enemy out. We do not accept this condition, we won't be Putin's slaves. We won't carry out his dictatorial orders. We are a free nation with the right to choose, and we know that our future is exclusively in the European Union, in a communion with all the democratic states of the world," emphasized the head of Ukraine's State Border Guard Service.

Osachuk believes that the war in Eastern Europe affects not just Ukraine, but all the European countries, which are compelled to support the Ukrainian army to face the attacks of the Russian Federation.

"Two years ago, the whole world and the entire people of Ukraine were shaken by the fact that the looming threat turned into reality. Two years of stolen life, two years of peaceful development taken away, two years of happiness turned into two years of suffering, of ruined destinies. Millions of people were driven away from the country. Not only Ukraine was robbed, but the vital resources of Europe and the world were robbed too. Because all the funding we receive as aid from our brothers and neighbors - Romania, Germany, the U.S., Poland - could have been directed towards the development of these countries, towards the reinforcement of peace. You take money from your own pocket and give it to us so that we can resist this brutal aggression," said the Ukrainian officer, who served until 2022 as governor of Chernivtsi Oblast. AGERPRES (RO - editor: Georgiana Tanasescu; EN - editor: Simona Klodnischi)