I first traveled to Ukraine in the winter of 2020. This was 5 years after the annexation of Crimea, the invasion of the Donbass region, and the Revolution of Dignity against former president, Viktor Yanukovych all within 2014. The political and civil unrest due to these actions caused by Russia and its puppets undermined Ukrainian sovereignty in which the president refused to sign the political association and free-trade agreement with the EU. Through mass protests in Kyiv, the pro-Yanukovych special riot police, the Berkut’, became indiscriminate in the beatings,  arrests, and murders of Ukrainians during the period of the protests, also known as the Euromaidan. The Berkut’ is responsible for the deaths of 108 protestors, and 13 police officers. They sniped evading protestors attempting to hide from the rooftops, fired down upon protestors from elevated hills, beat protestors with iron batons, and left a wake of misery until Yanukovych was forced to step down, of whom claimed it was a coup after a vote of 328-0 to oust him as president. Pro-Russian counter-revolutionary protests began in the Donbass region, and the invasion began. 

9 years later, and the Invasion of Ukraine by Russian once again has stabbed the wound that was nowhere close to healing, and the effects of these actions cause a sensation of anger, hate, grief, and sympathy for all victims involved. I don’t know when I will return to Ukraine, but I can share my stories about while I was there, and pass on the beauty of an amazing country, people, and spirit.