Kyiv got attacked again. This past Saturday brought the biggest bombardment yet to Ukraine’s capital by its insane neighbour, Russia. So much pain and destruction. And the world just continues to watch. Like it is a reality TV show.

Where is the moral and strategic imagination of the world’s leaders. Russia will not stop, unless it is stopped. Ukraine is keeping the evil at bay, and paying for this in blood. Where are those infamous Taurus missiles, for example, that the new German leader promised Ukraine if he was elected?

This was the news I read the day after the strike in Kyiv. And just a few days before there was the UK’s surprise easing of Russian oil sanctions. WTF ?!

I was chatting with a friend in Kyiv last night. The recent strike on the city was the main discussion. My friend then says to me, “The world does not see Ukraine as an equal country.” He is right. And this is very sad. This is largely a result of Russian propaganda, which is a very real thing, and it is non-stop.

If Paris or Madrid, say, had a strike like Kyiv just had then the world would go crazy, And yet, Kyiv (and other cities in Ukraine) have had countless attacks in the past 4 years, and nothing seems to change.

My friend also said to me that the Oreshnik ICBM which was part of the Saturday strike was sent not to scare Ukrainian ,but rather, the rest of Europe. This is all part of the games that Russia constantly plays. Terror is their strategy, and it clearly works. What a sad state of affairs. Europe is so much bigger and powerful than Russia and yet, everyone is so scared to do anything. This has been clear for quite some time.

One other thing that my friend pointed out is that Kyiv (and the rest of Ukraine) still needs more air defense. If Europe does not want to fight, then that is one thing, but why not help Ukraine defend itself to the max. I don’t get it. I have not got it for a long time. Ukraine pleads non-stop for more air defense capacity and it is always the same story of too little, too late.

I was listening to a magic podcast. Magic, as in abracadabra. That beautiful art that produces smiles, laughter and wonder. The magician said something so simple and it has stuck with me all week.

“Confidence isn’t built just by success. It is also built by repetition.“

The more you try the better you get. Luck favours the persistent.

A simple message that we often forget. An overnight success takes 20 to 30 years.

Practice makes perfect. Embrace the journey. Never stop.

If you love doing something then keep doing it. That is what purpose is all about.

https://kyivindependent.com/documentary-series-kyiv-of-mine-traces-city-from-creative-boom-to-wartime-reality/

The film’s structure and a selection of real-life protagonists reflect this mission. The first chapter captures a period of growth as Ukraine deepened its European integration and built new institutions. In these early segments, the protagonists radiate vibrancy and optimism, frequently sharing jokes.

The film brings together a mosaic of Ukrainian society: a chef, an artist, a programmer, a tech entrepreneur, a lawyer, a property developer, a filmmaker, and a professor. Each offers a unique perspective on a singular theme: the Ukrainian Dream.

In the second chapter, the tone shifts dramatically. Somber expressions replace the smiling, optimistic faces as the protagonists tell how the full-scale invasion started for them. Instead of discussing the growth of the IT sector or a cultural boom, they speak of war crimes and Russian atrocities. Unintentionally, the filmmakers began creating a historical artifact of the protagonists’ transformation.

Made in Ukraine.

Our games explore what humans were before the world ended, what they became after, and what they are willing to do to live another day. The meaning has always been about preventing war.

But now war is our reality, and our message has shifted to be about the consequences. The cost of silence, the horrors of tyranny, and the price of freedom.

In a few days from now the citizens of Hungary will be voting for their next leader.

“The Hungarian election is hugely important in its own right and a litmus test for the billionaire fascism that the American Right has imported. This would be a great briefing for reporters and all of us to have!”

All the polls are indicating that Orban will lose. But what if he doesn’t … ?!

In my mind Orban is evil. He pretends to be part of NATO and the West, for example, but he is on the Russian payroll.

If he wins it means that evil is on the rise. We will know next week.