Ukraine: The sense of History in an asleep Europe — The War told through women’s voices (part 2)
- Agnese Litti
- 1 giorno fa
- Tempo di lettura: 9 min
The first time I set foot in Ukraine, it was during the Euromaidan. As a graduate in Political Science and EU studies, the experience hit me like a lightning bolt—a true epiphany. For the first time, I understood what it means to witness History with a capital “H” in person.
I was a child when the Berlin Wall fell, yet I still remember the emotion, even from the safety of a television screen. That, to me, was the last historic moment in Western Europe that truly felt alive. The Balkan wars? They existed in the distant realm of politicians and journalists. NATO? Yes, I remember hearing about that too. But Kyiv during the Euromaidan—there, history was breathing, pulsing, and shouting on the streets.
Khreshchatyk Street was alive with energy. Young people filled every corner, faces bright with hope, eyes fixed on a future they were determined to shape. I had never seen that kind of vision in the wealthiest corners of Western Europe. A year later, I returned. The situation had changed, but the people—their pride, their awareness, their unshakable sense of history—left a mark on me that words can barely capture.
I am grateful that, even for a few days, I could witness this transformation firsthand. That is why I love Ukraine, in all its contradictions and idiosyncrasies. Of course, there are many—but where aren’t there? I promised myself that I would do my part, however small, to help this remarkable people claim the dignity they deserve. Disclaimer: This is not an editorial. This is not a chronicle. These interviews are my tribute to a people who went from shopping in malls to watching tutorials on how to make Molotov cocktails overnight. A people who forged a common identity and resilience that stands as an admonition to all of us.
These stories may not be politically correct. They may make us uncomfortable. They may even seem exaggerated. But they are truth—the raw, unvarnished truth rarely seen in the media: the truth of people living through a war on Europe’s doorstep, a war that speaks to all of us and will shape Europe’s future, whether we like it or not. History is not over. It is ours choice to join—or to ignore.
I had the privilege of meeting two extraordinary Ukrainian women:
Olesia, is an artist, a warrior, and a mother. She left Ukraine for the love of her children, but she returned for the love of her people. Her story, below, is one of courage, resilience, and hope—a story that belongs not just to Ukraine, but to anyone who believes in the power of ordinary people to shape history.
Alla is a determined, successful woman who has spent more than half of her life in EU countries—from Italy to Belgium—where she works and feels somewhat at home. Working for the EU institutions, she is a natural bridge between the European Union and the Eastern frontier, grounded in a deep, strong, and proud Ukrainian identity.
They remind me of the Mother Motherland—the triumphant, monumental sculpture in the heart of Kyiv. She embodies the archetype of all Ukrainian women.
Four years have passed since the war began. No one could have imagined it would last this long; no one would have dared to bet a single euro on Ukrainian resistance. And yet, they are still here—brave, steadfast, and standing—not only for themselves but as a reminder to the world of the price of liberty.
So, take a cup of coffee or a glass of wine and stay with me until the end of this journey. This path will accompany you for a few days (this is the second part), and reading this article will be a small act of resistance. Slava Ukraini!
What is the turning point in the relations between Russia and Ukraine?
Olesia: During the events that led to the Orange Revolution, I was a student and studied in Kharkiv. Two leaders among the presidential candidates: Yanukovych - an illiterate, uneducated bandit with two convictions, a criminal authority. And, of course, he was pro-Russian. In short, he was the embodiment of the Russian ideal of the ‘True Leader‘ And Viktor Yushchenko - pro-Western, educated, intelligent, a patriot of Ukraine, a professional in his field. I chose Viktor Yushchenko. Thanks to the work of Moscow’s propaganda, many Ukrainians supported Yanukovych, because his opponent was slandered from all the media resources available to ordinary people. Viktor Yushchenko was also called a Nazi (now you can be sure: all those whom the Russians call ‘Nazis’ are real patriots and worthy people. The practice of destroying the reputations of Ukrainian patriots in the same way is still actively used in Ukraine, unfortunately. When, after the falsification of the elections and Yanukovych ‘victory’, the people came to the Maidan, I felt what my people are capable of. Everyone felt it. And the government too. Then we made it clear to the world that the main thing in Ukraine is its people, their choices. And that injustice must be fought - even when the enemy seems stronger.
We draw our strength and confidence to confront the enemy from the awareness of our rightness, from the thirst for freedom, freedom of choice, the desire to develop personally, to make the world better and to live with dignity.
The Orange Revolution opened our eyes to everything that Russia and ‘friendship’ with it are: they will always stab you in the back, they want to strangle you in their ‘brotherly’ embrace. Russians have always interfered in our affairs and believed that they had the right to influence the decisions of Ukrainians and their lives. And we just wanted them to leave us alone. We won our way that time. And, according to the results of the additional round of elections, President Yushchenko won and Ukraine made a leap in its development.
But the next time, Kremlin considered its mistakes, and Yanukovych did become the president of Ukraine. The beginning of the war in 2014 - was a consequence. We could not believe then that the Russians were capable of this. I thought that we were about to drive them out of Crimea. But later I saw military planes over my hometown - Gorlivka. And then - drunk Russian soldiers...
We had relatives (who had once moved there to live) and friends in Russia. At first, we thought that we just needed to explain everything to them, because they didn’t know what was happening. But no. They knew and understood everything perfectly. They really supported this war. That’s why I no longer have any relatives or friends in Russia. In 2014, I left Gorlivka and never saw my home again. I couldn’t bury my grandfather. While leaving Gorlivka, at the checkpoint set up by the occupiers, a drunk Russian soldier searched me and my car. The machine gun was slung over his shoulder so that at any moment he could have shot me or the driver. I was disgusted to look at him; I wanted to grab his throat. He was picking through my personal belongings, underwear, with his dirty hands. On my native land. Because any loyalty to Russians opens the door to your house for them.
Under the motto of ‘protecting the Russian-speaking population’, the Russians tortured and then killed local Russian-speaking businessmen, taking everything from them. They raped Russian-speaking girls. My classmate in Gorlivka was recently run over by a Russian tank right on the road while he was in his car. I think Ukraine was saved at that time by the fact that in 2014 a pro-European and pro-Ukrainian president was elected ...
In 2019, it became clear to me, like many of my friends, that a full-scale invasion was inevitable. We were waiting in desperation. In February 2022, we prepared ‘alarm suitcases’ and agreed on further actions. The full-scale war was not a surprise to me personally. And it finally opened the eyes of those who believed in ‘friendship’ with Russia and that something could be agreed with it.
Alla: For me personally, there was never a turning point. Even if I didn’t consciously think about it at the time, had someone asked me whether Russians, as a society, would have supported the Ukrainian Orange Revolution, my answer would have been an unequivocal ‘no.’ For me, and for the people around me — my family, friends, and colleagues — it was no surprise that the overwhelming majority of Russians did not empathize with Ukrainians during those events. The Orange Revolution simply confirmed the differences we had long felt, just as the annexation of Crimea and the full-scale invasion did later, only on a far greater scale. From what I know about Russian society — and it is important to remember that we once lived in the same country, shared the same cultural and informational space, and therefore understand Russia on a level far deeper than any foreign observer — Ukrainian revolutions, whether the Orange Revolution, the Revolution of Dignity, or any other moment when people stand up to their government, are fundamentally incompatible with the Russian mentality and worldview. That is all.
What has changed in your perception of the country since the war started?
Olesia: Even knowing what atrocities the Russians are capable of, I could not imagine that they would rape babies, pregnant women, and even the elderly, cut off the genitals of their sons in front of their mothers... We heard explosions, and I thought: ‘Lord, if it comes, then take all three of us away, because none of us will be able to live with this anymore...’ We drove through the city to the store to buy everything we needed (the shelves were almost empty), and on the roads there were already metal ‘hedgehogs’ welded by ordinary people. My brother, his wife, and a friend were already standing at the Odessa military registration and enlistment office, as were millions of Ukrainians in all cities of the country. All the men we knew took out their hunting rifles, we created groups in which we shared news, notified the relevant structures about suspicious people and objects. People collected glass bottles and made Molotov cocktails. We understood what awaited us if the enemy reached Kyiv, because we already knew what was happening in Bucha and Irpin. Our people rallied so much, Ukrainians were so indignant, determined to expel the enemy from our land, that the Russians had no chance to carry out their plan. The political elite were not preparing Ukraine for the Great War. But this did not stop our people. The people prepared. Here is what became clear: it was thanks to ordinary people – not those in power - that Kyiv stood its ground.
Lots of Ukrainians gave up the Russian language (I did this in 2019). Everything and everyone began to work for Victory, to help our Warriors. But the constant stress of such strength quickly exhausts. And most Ukrainians for some time petrified from the inside. The ‘survival’ mode was turned on and any joy was rejected. Because every minute you see in the news how our Soldiers are freezing, how the Defenders of Mariupol are starving in the environment, the photo of a shot mother lies next to her baby, shot before her eyes... Common grief united us all. And also: in such moments - when death is so close, people show their true faces.
Over time, Ukrainians have learned to take care of their mental health, to live - while you are alive, to appreciate every moment, to help each other even more. It was somehow strange when, once a year, I came to Kyiv and saw that my friends were worried about me - how would my children and I mentally withstand the next shelling? And for some reason we were no longer afraid. I just always pray. I was more worried about them.
Alla: I have simply become even more proud of my country. Ukraine is suffering enormously — far more than during the Second World War. There are still people alive who lived through that time, and they often say there is no comparison. Constant shelling of the civilian population every day and every night for four years — and this is only one aspect of this war. Ukraine did not endure anything like this during the Second World War. Western Europeans cannot even imagine it. Ukrainians have no choice: either we fight, or we once again fall under Russian domination, this time facing the prospect of being erased from the map as a nation, a culture, an identity.
As a person who knows well the history of the proper country, I always knew how strong my people were — a nation that survived systematic extermination, whether the Holodomor directed against the peasants, the destruction of the intellectual elite, or the centuries long suppression of our language and culture. I knew all of this, but from books. To witness such bravery, such strength, resilience, and free spirit in action evokes an overwhelming sense of respect.
