Trains no longer run to Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region - part of the Donbas claimed in its entirety by Russia's President Vladimir Putin. It's another sign of the steady Russian advance.
Instead, the last station is now on the western side of the Donetsk border. Civilians and soldiers wait for a ride towards relative safety - their train to get out of Dodge.
Putin has been sounding more bullish since the leak of US proposals to end the war, widely seen as being in tune with his maximalist demands. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky says territory remains the most difficult issue facing US-led peace talks.
At the last station, soldier Andrii and his girlfriend Polina part after a brief reunion; he must return to the front. He dismisses the peace talks as just chatter, doubtful of a swift end to the conflict.
Many soldiers show skepticism as they board trains for a brief respite, tired and exhausted. Amid control of 85% of the Donbas by Russian forces, Ukraine resists conceding strategic territory despite US indications that they are outnumbered and outgunned.
Furthermore, an exodus of civilians from the Donbas continues, with families fleeing under the cover of fog to evade enemy drones. As they arrive at reception centers across the border, tales of danger abound, from increased drone activity to constant shelling.
While some families, like Yevheniy's, express deep distrust in any peace talks, others like Oleksandr contemplate the possibility of trading territory for peace.
The complexities of the situation unveil a stark division in sentiments: while many soldiers and civilians yearn for peace, they grapple with the toll the war has taken on their homeland.
