Heartwarming videos show the moments when a father fighting in the war between Russia and Ukraine meets his son and daughter.
Victor Trenukha, from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, has returned to his three-year-old daughter Yarina and six-year-old son Makary after 13 months of fighting on the front line.
In the tear-jerking footage recorded by his wife, Victoria, Victor is seen surprising Yarina at home with his return, before heading off to Makari’s school at pick-up time.
The children break down in tears as they see their father for the first time in over a year, after he volunteered to help with the war effort three days after Russia invaded Ukraine in March 2022.
The video comes as the head of Ukraine’s secret service claimed that Russia has abandoned its efforts to gain more territory and is now focusing on defending its positions in preparation for a brutal counterattack by Ukraine.
After the emotional footage was recorded, Victor revealed that he hadn’t told anyone in his family that he was coming home, so they were all surprised to see him.
The first shot in the video shows Victor waiting at the door to say hello to three-year-old Yarina, who comes out to him.
When the little girl, who has braided hair, sees her father for the first time in 13 months, she pauses in bewilderment before bursting into tears.
Then she throws her arms around her father, crying, as he bends to embrace her.
Victor speaks softly to her in their native language before kissing her on the cheek and presenting her with a box containing a toy he had bought for her.
Touching video shows Viktor Trenukha, from Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, reunited with his daughter Yarina (left) and son Makary (right) 13 months after leaving home
Yarina’s face lights up as she takes the toy, but her face is still wet with tears.
In the next shot, Victor walks hand in hand through the snow with Yaryna, who is wearing a bright pink trench coat, to pick Makarii up from school.
In his free hand, he proudly holds Yarina’s pink bag.
The next clip shows Makari, who has just finished school for the day, running out the door and down the stairs to greet his father after he has laid eyes on him for the first time since March 2022.
The six-year-old broke down crying as he embraced his father, who picked him up and hugged him.
The footage recorded by Victor’s wife, Victoria, shows her father, dressed in camouflage, surprising year-old Yarina at home.
In another emotional clip, Victor reunites with his six-year-old son Makari (pictured) on reunion time from school
A father-of-two went to war in March 2022 as a volunteer, three days after Russia first invaded Ukraine.
At the beginning of the clip, a confused Yarina silently stares at her father when he greets her at the door
Little Makari received a gift from his father after 13 months of separation – a brand new soccer ball
In one of the clips, Victor walks hand in hand with his daughter Yarina through the snow to collect Makari from school.
Emotional reunion: Yarina can’t stop hugging her father, Victor, after his sudden return from war
Makari, six (pictured with his father) was pictured running from the school building and down the stairs to greet Victor
Family Reunion: Trinoha’s family is finally back together after more than a year due to conflict
Makari weeps into his father’s coat before Victor kisses the young boy while hugging him tightly.
Then Victor presents his son with a gift just as he did Yarina – a completely new soccer ball.
After recording the clips, Victor said: ‘I’ve been involved in the war for 13 months and I didn’t tell my family I was coming back, so it was a surprise to them.
Makari and Yarina were so touched when they welcomed me in and so in shock that their father had come back and he was back with them.
My wife, parents and friends were also very emotional when they saw me.
“It is a pity that we sacrifice everything we have – even our lives – for the liberation of our country.”
The poignant video comes as Kirillo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s Defense Ministry’s Main Intelligence Directorate, said that Vladimir Putin’s forces are directing almost all of their offensive operations to try to capture the hotly contested city of Bakhmut.
Maj. Gen. Budanov, 37, did not disclose details about the Ukrainian battle plans, but promised that the upcoming counterattack would be a “historic battle in the history of Ukraine”.
