‘Absurd' war in Ukraine's separatist territory

Ruslan Chebotayev was just 10 years old when pro-Russian separatists seized his hometown in eastern Ukraine, sparking fighting that he and other teenagers say has robbed them of hope and prospects.

The sounds of shelling punctuate life around the industrial city of Donetsk, where younger residents are used to tanks rumbling down their streets and a curfew bringing an eerie quiet.

“Throughout my childhood in Donetsk, I heard the war – shelling, tanks rolling around the city,” Ruslan told Agence FrancePresse, snow blanketing the warscarred city. “I’ve wanted peace for a long time. I’m fed up with the fighting,” said the 17-year-old student with auburn hair.