Column: Bravery, courage from true Ukrainian perspective

Ask any Ukrainian and they will tell you they could provide a different perspective.

Unfortunately, because of the extremely outrageous aspirations of a president in the neighboring nation of Russia, all Ukrainians are forced to share components of what is the Ukrainian perspective. Whether you live and work in the heart of Ukraine, the capital Kyiv, or you have not seen your Ukrainian hometown of Kramatorsk in over 20 years, as Ukrainians you appreciate the right of independence and choice – and you know this has not always been the case, especially today.

On Feb. 24, 2022, the everyday life of the average Ukrainian citizen was flipped upside down quicker than a light switch. With the deafening roar of air-raid sirens and nationwide public service announcements flashing on televisions and phone screens across Ukraine urging citizens to take shelter as soon as possible, it was clear that living with war would become the daily Ukrainian perspective.

Despite Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014 and all of the growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine before Feb. 24, 2022, the initial reaction could be described as adrenaline-filled shock. A Russian born Ukrainian citizen named Vlad stated, “In the first week of the Russian invasion I could hear my heartbeat; all of the adrenaline pumping through your veins is just … incredible.”

On the nationwide scale, the initial reaction was also sadly incredible as Vlad spoke of the millions of Ukrainians who were forced to find refuge in Europe or other parts of Ukraine. When speaking about the number of Ukrainians displaced, Vlad said, “3 million Ukrainians were forced to seek refuge throughout Europe and 10 million Ukrainians were displaced from their homes and into presumably safer areas of Ukraine.”

After the initial shock of Russia’s invasion, almost all Ukrainians, including Vlad, had to adjust to living with the reverberating sound and feeling of daily air-raid sirens and Russian missiles striking civilian infrastructure like apartment buildings, supermarkets, malls and even hospitals.

Despite the barrage of terror that Russia unleashed on Ukraine, hoping to shatter the will of its citizens and leaders, the exact opposite occurred. As Ukraine responded with military action, Ukrainian civilians and international allies of Ukraine followed suit by creating tank barriers as well as organizing local militia that would eventually become the international legion of territorial defense units in Ukraine’s military.

Russian leaders view Ukraine as a weak nation incapable of being independent; of course, this is the Russian perspective. However, all of the world knows the truth about Ukraine and the bravery and courage that its citizens have shown and continue to show in the face of Russian oppression.

This is the true Ukrainian perspective.