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Ukraine deserves a better conversation in the world. It is enough of all those stupid stereotypes.

Kyiv has to be one of the best-kept secrets in the world. And to anyone who knows this place, there was the view that Ukraine’s capital was on track to be one of the hot spots of Europe in the next five years. The place was booming (even with all the problems Ukraine was facing, like corruption, old Soviet mentality, etc.). Creativity and entrepreneurship were on the rise, and you often would hear that Kyiv was the next Berlin.

Have a look at this : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FOqMRs3aRY8&t=12s

This film is a love letter to Kyiv. It shows us what the world will miss out on if Kyiv ceases to exist. Kyiv, and the rest of Ukraine, is soulful. There is something magical here that is worth protecting. Worth nurturing. Worth investing in.

This week in Kyiv was not easy. The attacks have been intense. Monday’s strike by Russia on the capital was the biggest since the start of the full scale invasion. Please God this nightmare ends soon.

This Saturday was Independence Day in Ukraine and the mood in Kyiv was spirited. It was good for the soul. The city center was full of life, and for a moment in time all felt “normal”. But this morning there was a massive attack on Ukraine. Here in Kyiv I heard many explosions and now the electricity and the water are out. There are dead and wounded throughout the land.

On Saturday evening I was sitting at home feeling inspired by what I experienced that afternoon in the city. I wrote some text about it. And now, as I sit here this afternoon I feel sadness and despair. When will this nightmare ever end?! And what will happen this winter if Russia continues to attack more infrastructure. It could be a seriously hardcore Christmas here and many innocent people could suffer, and die. If the heating system does not work here this cold season then Europe could face the biggest humanitarian crises it has ever had to deal with.

Ukraine — A brave country celebrates its Independence Day

There are apps to tell us about air quality, traffic, electricity outages, and so much more. All of these are man made scenarios. And of all of these alerts that we can install on our phones the one that really raises the bar is the air raid siren app.

There is so much magic and beauty in the world, and also, so much greed and corruption. Why can’t all of us try stamp out the negative and embrace the good. I guess this will always remain as one of the curious questions of the civilized world (if we can even call it that). But rest assured, we have apps alerting us about all of these crazy things.

One of the most amazing cities in the world has to be Kyiv. A well kept secret for sure. Overflowing with creative spirit, eccentricity, energy, humour and so much beauty. A place that was just waiting to be discovered. A gift for travelers, for the curious, for the artists, for the techies, for the architects, the photographers, for the coffee lovers and foodies. For everyone. And yet, missiles rain down on this incredible city week after week, and other cities all over Ukraine. It is still all so hard to believe.

I was in Kyiv a few weeks ago and I just arrived back. It is always good to be here. At home. In the past two weeks the mood has lifted and Ukraine is back in the news headlines. God knows how this is going to play out but one thing is for sure, Ukrainians are brave, and smart. This move into the Russian city of Kursk has captured the world’s imagination. Slava Ukraini.

Today marks 900 days since the start of the full scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine. I remember that first day of the war like it was yesterday. Every detail. This nightmare is far from over.

The last few days there have been a lot of funny memes about Ukraine’s move into the Russian city of Kursk. From what I read in the news and the general vibe I get from friends and colleagues in Kyiv is that Ukraine’s morale has been boosted.

Make no mistake though, people are dying, and so many are suffering. The past month was the deadliest month so far for Ukrainian civilians, reports the UN. At least 219 civilians were killed and 1,018 injured in Ukraine in the past month.

The media doesn’t yet have a clear picture of what is going on in Kursk in Russia. If Ukraine has crossed the border and are attacking a city inside Russia then that is quite a development. The part that I truly don’t get is reports of Russia stating that this is a “large-scale provocation”.

Firstly, who cares what Russia has to say. Secondly, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is pure evil, so for Russia to moan about anything is just ridiculous. Imagine a murderer being caught red handed and then the media publishing complaints from the murderer stating that they were mistreated, etc. And thirdly, who gives a continental about anything to do with Russia. Whatever Russia has to say cannot be trusted. For all we know, Russia could make up a story about Kursk so that they can try mobilize more Russians to be sent to the meat grinder.

I often think this is like an episode of Candid Camera and someone is going to reveal the hidden camera soon and show us all that this has been one big setup. How can this war still be raging on, in this day and age, with clear atrocities being committed by Russia, week after week, and still have Russians at the Olympics, at other sporting events, at the United Nations, on holiday all over the globe, etc. How can Western companies still be operating in Russia and still look at themselves in the mirror. I just don’t get it. If the free world were united with common values and all cut Russia off then this war would have ended a long time ago.