Mundaneness of genocide: how will 2022 be remembered?

In spring I had to see one picture that I will never forget. In the newly liberated town of Kyiv region, where we went on a media mission, so to speak, I saw fingers.  Human fingers sticking out of a flowerbed. Most likely, these fingers turned this flowerbed every spring into a piece of beauty. But they couldn't anymore.

This was far from my first encounter with death since the beginning of war in 2014.  Even before that damn flowerbed, we had seen a lot in the previous few hours. But it was this discovery that was the most shocking, because for the first time I understood (or rather felt, actually felt) mundaneness of genocide, not from books and films. And in general, mundaneness of evil in its absolute form. After all, everything that happened in Donbas in 2014-2021 cannot be compared to conveyor genocide we saw in 2022.

“What I felt, aside from rage and terror, was more like a moment of 100% insight.  What will happen if they win?”

What I felt, aside from rage and terror, was more like a moment of 100% insight.  What will happen if they win?

Later, about two months later, Anton Senenko, Pavlo Kazarin and I sipped coffee because we met in Kyiv. And they told each other that we were lucky. It was lucky, because if Russian troops had captured Kyiv, we ourselves would have been lying in the same flower bed. And hardly anyone would ever find us. It's a strange feeling that I repeat these words now.

But then, after returning to Kyiv, I went to the office. We have a shower there, I was taking it for probably an hour. I washed away this darkness. Then I was thinking about what I saw.

Somewhere in a couple of days, I wrote to everyone with whom we had various disputes and misunderstandings before the war. And with whom I wanted to settle them. And I succeeded with all of them.  Because they looked ridiculous amid what was happening around, and I didn't know if there would be another such chance.

Because in the first month of war in Kyiv, there were continuous competitions in search of everything, from ammunition to food for hospitals.  But after April, I realized that I could no longer postpone.

I think, as well as for many civilians who remained in Kyiv, the period after April 2-3 became a time of transition of chaotic and emergency activity into a regime of more or less controlled normality. Because we had to work.

“In May, my wife and I found out that we are expecting a child. Yes, it was a conscious decision. To continue living and not let Putin break what we planned and dreamed about”

In May, my wife and I found out that we are expecting a child. Yes, it was a conscious decision. To continue living and not let Putin break what we planned and dreamed about. This requires being even more focused. And calm. Whom I was trying to be all this time. Although it is not very simple. Well, you know that without me.

All summer and autumn we searched, collected, bought, and worked. Found so many incredible people to help. I am infinitely grateful to entrepreneurs who gave money, goods, materials, and helped logistically. And especially to those who give humanitarian aid to non-media things - geriatric boarding houses, large families, psychiatric dispensaries. Three good media projects were launched. But all the time the thought that it is possible to do more, it is possible to do better does not leave. And it won't leave you, and that's normal. Everyone is doing what they really can. And everyone who does something to win has already done a great job.

“I will not say that I am looking forward to 2023 with any special hopes. Do I expect that war will end this year?  I have no particular hopes or expectations for this, but I am confident that we will win”

I will not say that I am looking forward to 2023 with any special hopes. Do I expect that war will end this year?  I have no particular hopes or expectations for this, but I am confident that we will win. This year or whenever. I know that Russia will be much, much worse this year. And we will have more weapons and resources than last year. And we will press them.

I am sure and I know that after this war what we have seen last year will be impossible forever. What did I see? What did you see? What thousands of people saw who saw more than us.

I am sure that we will rebuild everything and restore everything. And we will build a country to be worthy of the path we are on.  Although it will be very difficult.

But this confidence and ability to work now has a single source. Ukrainian Armed Forces. And all Defense Forces. Because if it weren't for people who do the main part of work with weapons in their hands, hundreds of thousands and millions of us would have turned into a memory. If there was someone to remember.

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About  the author: Yuriy Bohdanov, publicist, specialist in strategic communications in the field of business, public administration and politics.

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