Photo: Volunteers tie pieces of fabric to make camouflage nets at the Ivanychuk Library in Lviv, Ukraine, on March 1. Ethan Swope/Bloomberg via Getty Images
How did the Ukrainians manage to remain cardio-centric, kind and generous people after all the trials that befell them? Do you think this war will make us evil and furious?
Sasha, Ukraine:
I think it is the identity of our nation cross the centuries. For us, it is usual values which we have from the birth. We love our Ukraine and people who live here very much. We are ready to do everything to win this war and defend freedom, but we never forget about humanity and justice. Each Ukrainian makes all efforts in order to help today. No wonder, the whole world considers us as the most powerful nation.
Tatyana, Ukraine:
It depends on type of nervous system of people and reactions to different situations, a place of living (where was an action of war and where wasn’t).
Talking about me, I have become more concentrated and patient than furious. There are a lot of things which we can’t change, but we can go on helping others, do all our best.
In addition to this, (other type of nervous system) people become furious when they are thinking a lot about horror of current situation which can harm their mental health and as a result they start smoking…. for example.
In order to find balance in this situation people should realize number of losses (in order to know for the future that russia is our essential enemy which can at any moment betray and harm, kill … us) and victory of our ZSU, efforts of plain people and even nature (I think that everyone in this group knows about geese’ “strike” against enemy planes (actually they are just obstacle, just victims…))
Nazar, Ukraine:
I think this war make me careful to many things, my security and my work.
Masha, Ukraine:
I think the war doesn’t change us immediately, but brings up whether the best or the worst in people – depending on what they were in normal life. All the loving and caring people I know are now volunteering day and night, but those, who were greedy and hypocritical, are acting selfishly and being indifferent to another’s troubles.
Julia, Ukraine:
We are furious because of what is happening now, we are angry, because occupants are violently raping our homeland. That can’t last forever. The day will come, and the victory will be ours. We’ll feel grateful and happy, and eventually we will all just be tired.
I guess after that, everyone will just try their best to recover after war. Reliving anger is a part of it, but it is something that will go away. Of course, we will never forget and forgive what russians have done to us, but that doesn’t make us evil after all.
Natalia, Kyiv:
When I talk to my friends and persuade them not to panic, not to get upset, to do what can be done and hope for the best. They do not believe, argue and are offended that I disagree with their paranoid manic fear. Then I begin to say that from the fact that we are now quarrelling there is nothing not to change, and we need to support each other, and not turn sour.
They begin to complain about their own inadequacy and inability to hold on.
Then I resort to my secret weapon, I say that the Universe and maybe God should not hear our groans and desperate self-flagellation. We should not pronounce or mention and multitude horror, otherwise we must image good and beautiful pictures of our life and the Universe will see it and help us perform it. Superstitious or not, people believe it, they calm down for the time at least.
I want to say that we need to see happiness and bright future and happiness will see us.
