Kyiv, UKRAINE – Imagine waking up in the middle of the night from the sounds of explosions: there is an air raid again.
You don’t know whether your loved ones are safe, you don’t know if everything will be fine tomorrow, you’re not sure if there is any ‘tomorrow’ at all. That’s what has been happening to Ukrainians for the past three years.
This week, February 24th marked the third anniversary of Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine, a significant date for people all around the world.
It’s been more than 1,000 days of fear, uncertainty, and resilience for Ukrainians. Some people might have lost a friend, a parent, or even their home.
That feeling is devastating, and it can be a real challenge to anyone, especially to young people. Many teenagers had to go abroad because of the war, and many Ukrainian kids have to face the difficulties of getting used to a new mentality, to a whole different life.
But even though Ukrainian people are now scattered across the globe, our sense of unity is now more powerful than ever – different circumstances strengthen traditions.
At the beginning of the war, Ukrainian people started a new tradition of holding a moment of silence every morning at 9 a.m. In this way, we honor the soldiers who lost their lives on the battlefield.
And each year on February 24th, we share the memories from the first days of the war.
Unfortunately, the latest news and our current political situation haven’t been very soothing for Ukraine.
In a series of pro-Russian statements, U.S. President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Ukraine started this war. And Trump’s determination to bring an end to the fighting without even including Ukraine put our country in an even more vulnerable position.
As Ukrainians, we are completely horrified by the fact that our country’s future is being decided without us, and it makes tomorrow look even more uncertain with each new day. This is why worldwide support is so crucial to us right now – it proves that international rights are still valued and that the hope for a peaceful future hasn’t yet faded away.
Stand with justice. Stand with Ukraine.
Daria Prymak and Ann Tsyhanok are Junior Reporters with Youth Journalism International from Kyiv, Ukraine. Together, they wrote this commentary and Ann Tsyhanok captured the photo.
