Terror in Kyiv: How Ukraine can survive and not lose to Russia

While Donald Trump tallies up American air defense missiles, Putin, armed to the teeth with cheap Iranian and North Korean rockets, is systematically destroying Ukraine's rear.

A friend and I heard the news about the attack on the bus. So much for having “a short vacation.”

“Look, my son went for a walk,” she said, showing me a photo of a small boy in a medical mask with his father. It was an attempt to somewhat shield the child from the toxic aftermath — the combustion of everything imaginable.

It echoed images from the London Blitz, when gas masks were handed out to protect civilians from Hitler’s chemical threats.

The shards of metal are what Russian Iskander missiles are packed with. 
Photo: Kateryna Perehuda's Facebook

How do you survive when no one cares whether you live or die? Especially when Donald Trump can’t seem to put down the phone once and for all. During the May holidays, Europeans promised a “Coalition of the Willing,” insisting that “the security of our continent is at stake.” Yet somehow, that momentum has vanished.

In the end, even the French leader himself ended up chatting on the phone with Putin — just as fruitlessly as before the full-scale invasion. The Kremlin dwarf openly gloated over Macron, accusing the West once again of “creating an anti-Russian bridgehead in Ukraine for many years,” “condoning violations of the rights of Russian-speaking residents,” and now “prolonging the fighting.” And to this uneasy group of situational allies, we can add those leaders who openly admit that dragging out Russia’s war serves their interests — because it keeps the Americans from fully focusing on China.

Read also: Russian overnight attack injures 26 across Ukraine: 10-year-old girl among wounded in Kyiv

What comes next? How do you keep living in this relentless quest for survival — caught between attacks and rising clouds of black smoke, just trying to hold on?

Russia is promising an even more massive combined missile and drone strike, one that will add fresh fires and destruction to already scorched factories and shattered dormitories. Meanwhile, the Americans are taking a pause, greedily counting their missiles, just to not give them away to Ukraine for free. What better moral incentive could there be for terror against the civilian population?

No, there’s something more: according to Politico, U.S. Special Representative Steve Witkoff is pushing to lift sanctions… on the Russian energy sector. Truly, these modern American gentlemen have a peculiar way of helping a killer finish off his victim.

But it’s not fair to blame all of this solely on Trump’s senile dementia or Europe’s immaturity. Because while all this chaos unfolds, we are busy saving the president’s friends from prison — and Minister of Unity Oleksiy Chernyshov is a glaring example. Spitting in the face of law enforcement and society, he walks free on bail thanks to shady connections with equally suspicious fortunes.

Even more striking is the attempt to protect corrupt defense suppliers. They lie, steal, and send outright junk to the front lines in the middle of a Russian offensive — yet if you’re close enough to the table, you’ll be saved.

So it’s no surprise that the situation at the front is sometimes no better than in the shelled cities. The military is short on weapons, personnel, and any real prospects — which begs the question: what’s the point of this service at all? The Russians are studying these sentiments carefully, which is why they’re targeting training grounds and military recruitment centers. Even those who weren’t opposed to mobilization or joining the service now fear it deeply, especially if defeat seems possible.

Diplomatic successes? If you look closely, they appear mostly on the American track. There’s barely any talk about security guarantees or NATO membership prospects. The goal now is to at least secure American missiles and ammunition, at any cost.

Instead of endless presentations, round tables, and strategies plastered on banners, it’s time to focus on what really matters — how to shoot down Russian drones. While Kyiv still stands and there are still people ready to defend it from these deadly weapons.

Painted presentations and pompous gatherings do not help in the face of the cold shower of The reality is this: Russia has been building factories to assemble Shahed drones for years. China is supplying components, circumventing sanctions. Even some of Ukraine’s staunchest allies aren’t immune to this—just days ago, it was revealed that several Czech companies shipped scarce machine tools to Russia.

As a result, Ukraine’s voice on the global stage remains weak, and we have failed to deliver a crucial message: today, Russia is launching a “blitz” on Kyiv — tomorrow, any European capital within Russia’s reach could face the same fate.

The era when we were applauded in parliaments and at summits is finally over. Now, the question is blunt and direct: what weapons have you built with your own hands to secure victory?

Exclusively for Espreso

About the author: Maryna Danyluk-Yarmolaeva, journalist

The editorial team does not always share the opinions expressed by the author.