Everyone was hoping that this day wouldn’t come, everyone was scared that it probably would. This morning, on February 24, 2022 at 4 am (EET), Russia invaded Ukraine—at the same time in the morning when Germany bombarded Kyiv in 1941. World countries one after another are condemning this attack and High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy/Vice-President of EU Commission, Josep Borrell Fontelles, considers these events “among the darkest hours of Europe since the Second World War.”

As the world is watching all of this unfold, Ukrainians and other people in the country are experiencing it. The internet is now full of reports of what is happening and some people have shared their own thoughts and feelings of being woken up by explosions. Bored Panda collected some of the personal messages that were shared to represent what people in Ukraine didn’t sign up for but have to endure.

#1

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This whole hell started with Russia deploying military troops at the Ukrainian border last year, saying that they were just doing some military training. More and more soldiers and military equipment were brought to the border and everyone was starting to worry that this could grow into a conflict.

After unfruitful discussions and trying out diplomatic measures, the conversation with Russia’s president Vladimir Putin failed and he declared war against Ukraine. But you could say that Russia has been at war with Ukraine since 2014 when Russia occupied Crimea and the time in between was just a brief break.

#2

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#3

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Wars always end with too many people dying, countries being left ruined economically and morally, so good leaders try to avoid them by any means possible. There has to be a good reason if someone is prepared to make their country and another country go through this.

Some might say that there is no good reason as in the modern world we should be able to communicate with words without having people killed. It is hard to disagree that the reasons behind Ukraine’s invasion are meaningless and reading through people’s messages who have to witness the explosions makes you understand how horrible it is.

#4

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#5

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#6

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Various political reviewers are trying to make sense of Putin’s madness and have explained that he really didn’t like the fact that Ukraine wants to become part of NATO. Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy realizes how dangerous it is to have such a neighbor as Russia, especially after the events in 2014, so he wanted to have allies who would help when his country was in need.

Putin intervened and expressed his dissatisfaction and actually accused NATO of trying to convince Ukraine to join the alliance so that they could have their troops closer to the Russian border. He claimed that NATO is being the aggressor by not agreeing to fulfill his request. For some reason, it bothers the president of Russia that Ukraine wants to be westernized, join NATO, join the EU and free themselves from the influence of Russia.

It could be rooted in Putin’s understanding that Ukrainians are actually Russians, as last year, he described the two countries as one nation because the Soviet Union was the one who created Ukraine.

#7

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#8

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Even though there could be lots of speculation about how Putin feels and many interpretations of his words, there are some specific demands he presented to the Western countries that would make him stop.

He asked for a legally binding pledge that NATO won’t include Ukraine in their alliance; otherwise, where would Russia retreat in a conflict with the US. He also called for the countries who don’t acknowledge Crimea as part of Russia to change their stance.

#9

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#10

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The West couldn’t fulfill those demands because they violate their core values. The situation escalated and since the first explosions in the eastern part of Ukraine, the situation is changing every minute.

Ukraine has a very big and powerful enemy, but they have many friends too. NATO plans on increasing its presence in Eastern Europe, but Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said they won’t be sending troops to Ukraine.

Democratic countries of the world are declaring sanctions to weaken Russia’s economy. They will be sending weapons and equipment for Ukraine and providing financial assistance as well as humanitarian assistance.

#11

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#12

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It is important to protect Ukraine as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis said on his Twitter, “We in Lithuania know it very well that Ukraine is fighting not just for Ukraine, but for us in the region, Europe and everyone in the democratic world. It is our obligation not just to punish Russia for its actions but to help Ukraine with all and every means available.”

It is safe to say that we all wish for it to end as soon as possible and for Ukraine to survive this in one piece. Слава Україні!