Four years after the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine began, the conflict has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of civilians and hundreds of thousands of soldiers. The war has triggered a major humanitarian crisis, forcing millions of Ukrainians to flee their homes and leading to severe repercussions for those within Russia who oppose the fighting.
As the four-year mark of the invasion passes, AFP examines the human cost of the war through four individual stories: the killing of an entire family, the struggles of a Ukrainian soldier who lost limbs in combat, the transformation of a Kremlin-friendly comedian, and the quiet resistance of a Russian activist.
– A Family Destroyed –
In April 2022, a Russian missile struck a home in Odesa, Ukraine, killing Kira, a four-month-old baby, her mother Valeria, 28, and her grandmother Liudmila, 54. The impact instantly ended the lives of three generations of the Glodan family.
Kira’s father, Yurii Glodan, was shopping at the time of the attack. Images circulated afterward showing the devastated man searching through the rubble of what had been his home.
Following the loss of his family, Yurii – a lawyer who left his profession to function in a bakery in Odesa – enlisted in the army in March 2023. He was killed in action months later, in September, near Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, during some of the fiercest fighting of the conflict.
The Glodan family’s story has become a symbol of the suffering endured by Ukrainian civilians since the start of the invasion. “There are hundreds of stories like this throughout the country,” Alla Koroliova, Valeria’s best friend, told AFP in February 2026.
Koroliova remembered her friend as “a ray of sunshine. She loved Odesa, Ukrainian culture, and opera.” She still keeps photos of Kira that Valeria sent her – a baby she never had the chance to meet.
– The Amputee Who Wants to Fight –
Volodomir turned 32 on the day Russia launched its invasion. Four years later, despite losing a leg and an arm in a bombing while serving in the military, he is determined to return to the fight.
AFP previously interviewed Volodomir in the northeastern Kharkiv region shortly before his injuries. At the time, he stated that drones were successful in 90% of cases “if the pilot is quality.”
In January 2026, Volodomir, with a short beard and shaved head, recounted the trauma of his injuries. “I raised my head when I was lying down, looked at my leg and a guy (…) was sawing it off,” he recalled.
He underwent 21 operations in a single month: “Almost every day, except Saturday, which was a day of rest for many doctors.”
Now fitted with a prosthetic leg, Volodomir spoke with AFP during a futsal tournament in Pavlograd, a city where he used to play before the accident. He moves with ease and without crutches.
Committed to re-enlisting, he has been undergoing rehabilitation for the past 18 months. He wants to rejoin his “brothers in arms,” but in a role further from the front lines.
Despite his desire to fight, Volodomir hopes for a negotiated complete to the war. “Two years ago, we were firmly convinced that we could return to the borders of 1991,” with the Crimean Peninsula and eastern Ukraine under Kyiv’s control.
“But now, after being in the army and having seen all that up close, I understand that the price to pay for the borders of 1991 will be very high,” he admitted.
– The Opportunistic Comedian –
In the 1990s, comedian Andréi Bocharov, known as “Bocharik,” represented for millions of Russians a stereotypical “mama’s boy” in a popular television series.
The war provided an opportunity to revitalize his career, which had stalled.
The Siberian native starred in “33 m2,” where he played the youngest member of a family, captivating audiences with his smiles, clumsiness, and naiveté.
Later, the once-beloved television star experienced a period of diminished visibility.
But on February 24, 2022, he reignited his career. As Russian society fractured along pro- and anti-war lines, Bocharov – now 59 years old – chose without hesitation “his homeland and his roots.”
In his posts and podcasts, he displays fervent patriotism, denounces any criticism of the offensive, and sarcastically attacks those who fled the country to avoid prosecution or military mobilization.
With over 350,000 subscribers on his Telegram and VK channels, Bocharik has found an audience for his criticism of a “decadent” West.
He now hosts a program on state radio Sputnik on Fridays.
Unlike many of his colleagues who went into exile, Bocharik speaks out to defend national interests and “traditional values,” which have become mandatory for “true patriots.”
“We are the first because we have a soul and not just money, and our boys at the front prove it every day,” he says on Sputnik, comparing Russia and the West.
“Russia always wins: we are Russians and borscht is with us!” he jokes, referencing the traditional soup whose origin is disputed by Russians, and Ukrainians.
– The Silent Opponent –
On February 24, 2022, Varvara (name changed) participated in an anti-war demonstration in Moscow. She subsequently lost her job at a public agency for signing a petition against the conflict.
She told AFP that when she went to protest that day, she had “a vague feeling of not knowing what would happen.”
She alerted close contacts that she might be arrested, left a spare set of keys, and hoped her cat “wouldn’t starve” in her absence.
She avoided judicial repercussions.
In the early days of the invasion, Russia imposed draconian military censorship. Hundreds of people were sentenced to lengthy prison terms, and thousands more received fines or short jail sentences.
Several of Varvara’s friends left the country. She considered it but didn’t. “I didn’t know how, where, or how I would live,” she said.
The police visit she feared never happened. She found a new job at a charitable organization.
She says it took two years after the invasion to feel joy without guilt: “A friend and I went for a walk. It was summer, and suddenly I realized that it was just a beautiful day and I didn’t want to feel guilty for enjoying it.”
She is now married and wants to have children. She avoids taking risks that could lead to arrest and has stopped speaking out publicly. Like her, most Russians opposed to the conflict remain silent.
The war continues to weigh on her life. Her father, a law enforcement officer, served in Ukraine. She loves him and he regularly offers her financial assistance, which she always declines.
Varvara does not believe We see possible to change the Russian regime in the current situation. “Any resistance from below will be crushed. I just hope we survive all this, physically,” she said.
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