As Ukraine marks two years since Russia's full-scale invasion, the capital Kyiv stands defiant, though the human toll continues to mount. Liudmyla Bikus recalls her son Andrii, who insisted on joining the army in March 2022, telling her: 'Mum, if I don't go then who will?' He was killed on 6 June near Lysychansk when a Russian shell hit his artillery position. Eight men from his company died in the same strike.
Andrii's widow Natalia planted a blue and yellow flag in a memorial garden on Kyiv's Maidan square, but it has since been lost among hundreds of others. Bikus reflected: 'A whole young generation is being wiped out. Guys are dying aged 19 and 20. They will never have children or grandchildren.' Andrii was 34; his seven-year-old son Misha watched his father's coffin lowered into the ground.
Two years on from the first explosions on 24 February 2022, Kyiv remains free, contrary to Moscow's expectation of a three-day takeover. Ukraine's forces reclaimed half the lost territory by late autumn, including Kharkiv province and Kherson. However, Russia has since dug in, and the war continues, with Putin determined to capture the Donbas region.
The human tragedy is vast: 9,655 civilians have died, including 461 children, and 8 million people have fled. Despite this, Ukrainians remain upbeat. A recent poll shows 95% believe in victory, and trust in the army stands at 97%. Alla Schastna, buying coffee in Kyiv, said: 'That we will win is certain. We know why we are fighting. The Russian soldiers don't even understand where they are.'
Life in Kyiv has returned to a kind of normality, with electricity and trains working despite regular attacks. The war still feels close, with air raid sirens and an 11pm curfew. But as the second anniversary passes, the spirit of defiance endures.
