Russian warship

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There’s nothing worse than the sound of air raid sirens. I cannot unhear them, 23 years later, and the memory never fails to send a wave of chills. Air raid sirens sounds the same everywhere, and Ukrainians heard them on February 24th.

Wars of the present are no less horrible than the wars of the past, and the worst is their aftermath. While the attacks are happening, we are defiant, unified, resolved to survive. When it’s over, we feel everything that we didn’t during the attacks - all the fear and shock and disbelief. We fall apart when we finally feel safe.

It is harder to fall apart when you are not alone. The more Ukrainians are connected to the world, and the more they know that the world is on their side, the less alone they will feel. The less disconnected they feel, the easier will be for them to reconnect with themselves and the world once this war is over.

Right now, we need to reach out, follow, comment, message, repost, share and talk about Ukraine on social media as much as we can. Find Ukrainian accounts on Discord, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and reach out.

And for those interested in life advice that comes from experiencing a war, here it is:

1. Everything that comes after a war is a bonus; it is a freeing feeling

2. Life is short; don’t suffer fools (including your own occasional foolishness)

3. Be brave; the worse has already happened

4. People’s peacetime power struggles are insignificant

5. You are always going to be different; embrace it