‘Why Must So Many More People Die?’ – Uncertainty Prevails for Ukrainians 1,000 Days Into War

“Since the day of Ukraine’s declaration of independence, we have been on a countdown, which continues to signal red,” Vadym, a 35-year-old ex-serviceman with the Ukrainian military, told Kyiv Post.

As Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine reached its 1,000-day mark, Kyiv Post reached out to Ukrainians in and out of the country about how they feel – more importantly, their visions for the future.

Many have said that the optimism at the beginning of Russia’s 2022 invasion has faded, leaving them with a bitter realization that victory is further – and more costly – than they thought.

From optimism to pessimism

“In the beginning, it was a matter of holding on for two to three weeks to keep spirits up. Then came hopes of ‘Crimea by summer,’ followed by talk of a ‘counteroffensive.’

“Now, even those hopes seem to have faded – there is no more talk of Crimea or counteroffensives,” Andriy, a 30-year-old head of an architecture bureau, told Kyiv Post.

He said as Moscow continued its “relentless aerial attacks” on Ukrainians that Ukraine cannot defend against, many in his circles, like himself, no longer see victory on the horizon.

“In my social circle, 90% of people no longer believe in the ideas of ‘victory,’ ‘advances,’ ‘the collapse of Russia,’ ‘the great counteroffensive,’ or reclaiming the ‘1991 borders.’ Even when talking with strangers, the mood is much the same,” he added.

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That feeling of hopelessness also extends to Ukrainians living abroad, such as 28-year-old Oksana, who relocated to Paris in 2022, and now works as the head of partnerships at a product company.

“I feel it is endless and will never finish, and we will need to adapt to this reality by living following all the rules, not being able to travel with our men, not being able to move on and [to] not be scared to be hit by a bomb, etc,” Oksana told Kyiv Post, referring to the restrictions during wartime Ukraine where military-age males cannot leave the country.

Daria, a 30-year-old IT platform trainer coordinator from eastern Ukraine who relocated to Amsterdam and experienced war back in 2014 when Russia first invaded Ukraine, said she “[feels] like an imposter” compared to those on the front these days.

“I was exposed to war events back in 2014, and that contributed to my mental health and since then, I don’t feel the world the same way. Yet, I feel like an imposter comparing myself with those who deal with the war [on] a daily basis,” Daria told Kyiv Post, adding that she has not been able to see her grandparents since the war started in 2014.

“I haven’t seen my grandmother in eight years, and my grandfather since January 2022, due to occupation. My other grandmother passed because there [was] no medical assistance where she lived,” Daria added – her grandfather and the grandmother who passed away live in Rubizhne, Luhansk region, which is under Russian occupation.

Her other grandmother lives in Crimea’s Stavropol region – also under Russian occupation.

Against the odds

However, ex-serviceman Vadym thought Ukraine had exceeded expectations, despite the odds stacked against it from day one.

“At present, the remnants of our independence stand as a great miracle – a testament to our ability to withstand a tenfold stronger enemy. Since the day of Ukraine’s declaration of independence, we have been on a countdown, which continues to signal red,” Vadym said.

“Looking back, I believe the idea of ‘Kyiv in three days’ was a fairly realistic scenario at the beginning of the full-scale invasion. That Kyiv managed to withstand it was partly due to luck and partly thanks to the wild self-organization and resourcefulness of the people at a critical moment.

“However, 1,000 days is an incredibly grueling period for a country that was not mentally prepared even for the concept of ‘red lines,’” he added.

A nation divided

Andriy said there are two blocs of Ukrainians – one that simply wants the war to end, and another that vows to fight until the bitter end.

“After 1,000 days of war, it feels like the united nation standing against the Russian Federation has fractured into two camps: the ‘party of peace’ and the ‘party of continuing the war.’

“A large segment of the population, in my opinion, wants it all to stop. People see the reality: the grim situation on the front lines, the treatment of soldiers after they’re wounded,” Andriy said.

There also appears to be a visible divide between the people and the Ukrainian government as the war drags on, where Andriy criticized the government’s poor treatment of veterans.

“Soldiers find themselves forgotten, receiving just Hr.600 [$15] in compensation. They are valued only as long as they can function on the battlefield.

“After death, compensation to families is delayed – or denied altogether – under pretexts such as being ‘missing,’ ‘without a helmet,’ or ‘in a state of intoxication.’

Andriy also questioned the futility of war.

“On the other hand, another segment of the population wants to continue fighting. They push for full mobilization – from age 18 and beyond – and insist on reclaiming the 1991 borders. Their argument is simple: ‘Why did people die if we stop now?’

“But this argument raises painful questions: Why must so many more people die? What guarantees peace, even if we reach the borders?” he lamented.

Oksana also criticized the government’s policies that led to the outflow of Ukrainians.

“I’m scared to go back, and honestly, feel like a lot of Ukrainians will never be back, cause the government does the opposite and doesn’t encourage us to be back,” she said.

Meanwhile, Vadym said the older generations of Ukrainians – or rather, their inaction – are to blame.

“It is time to wake up and take responsibility for the failures of the previous generation. Their inaction and lack of initiative have led us to the current state of affairs – the loss of crucial time and territories necessary for building a functional state.

“Those with connections to the army and right-wing organizations understood early on that the enemy aimed to annex territories and impose occupation. It was this cluster of the population that was at the forefront during the initial stages of the conflict,” Vadym said.

Grim future and silver linings

Vadym does not foresee Ukraine liberating all territories under Russian occupation for the time being.

“As for what lies ahead for Ukrainians, it’s hard to say. We will likely continue waiting for a ‘Black Swan’ event while collecting donations. However, neither the human resources (including emigrants) nor the lost territories are likely to be fully recovered,” Vadym said.

“However, as Ukraine exhausts its most motivated soldiers, it faces a grim reality: The country risks full occupation within 5-7 years following a hypothetical truce along the current line of contact,” he added.

Andriy said the last 1,000 days of war have been marked by “death, grief, destruction, and genocide,” leaving Ukraine nothing but a country with “a society that feels more divided than ever.”

“The result of these 1,000 days? Destroyed cities, deep-seated hatred for our neighbors, and a society that feels more divided than ever,” Andriy said.

Oksana said the future, no matter how it unfolds, will be difficult.

“There is a huge amount of people who have traumas, mental problems etc and there is no proper help to re-integrate those people back into the society, hence making it harder for everyone to live in this new reality,” she said.

Daria said she was “exhausted, very exhausted” but tried to look on the bright side nonetheless.

“Yes, the war opened me an opportunity to live and work abroad, to have high-quality healthcare as well as live in a developed country and enjoy its perks. When hard times happen, there are always opportunities,” she said.

“But no opportunity can cover up for the people and land we lost,” she added.

Contrary to Andriy’s view that Ukrainians are divided inside the country, Daria said she felt a sense of unity whenever Ukrainians came together in a foreign land.

“Meeting Ukrainians abroad became a sweet moment of unity. I feel that we are united, more than ever,” she said.