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And where is Gondor?




 On February 24 I woke up in the night suddenly.  national heroes. Or shall I tell about Sunflower   media and discuss where to get more gasoline.  like lions. Our now legendary top gun MIG-29
 I felt some strange pressure in my heart. I had  Lady  in  Henichesk,  the  small  southern  city?   There should be no problems with bottles as the  aircraft pilot wreaked havoc claiming 6 enemy
 never felt like that in my life. It was a peaceful  On Thursday she approached Russian armed   recycling center “Litter-Free Ukraine” (what a  aircraft.  He  already  got  The  Ghost  of  Kyiv
 and quiet night in London. The only sound I  soldiers bravely and demanded to know what   nice name) announced that they will give back  nickname. I listened to Ukrainian warriors and
 heard was a fox barking in the distance. I checked  they were doing on her soil. She condemned   glass bottles of all sizes. People are coming out  how they speak – they sound like experienced
 the  time  on  my  phone:  five  in  the  morning.  these  occupants  and  suggested  putting   from shelters to resist and fight back. I see my  and professional warriors. Then I listen to Jens
 Instinctively I opened Facebook and saw awful  sunflower seeds in their pockets, so when they   friends, artists, singers, cooks and my college’s  Stoltenberg, NATO secretary general, in hope.
 news:  “Russia  launches  rockets  on  Ukraine.”  die they will grow into a beautiful sunflower. Or   journalists dressed up in uniforms the whole  But  who  could  be  impressed  by  perplexed
 The whole country was on fire. I’ve read it many  maybe it should be the story about Hostomel,   day. There are queues in our recruiting centers  and  lost  person  stuttering  all  the  time  and
 times but couldn’t grasp any sense of it.  the  city  not  far  from  Kyiv,  our  capital,  that   and in hospitals to donate blood for the Army.  struggling to give clear answers?
 Russians tried to occupy the whole day (their   “Till what time will the store be open?” asked
 At  the  same  time  in  the  countryside  not  far  target  is  the  military  airport).  Just  imagine:   my friend in the shop. “Until the building falls.  Yesterday,  our  army  stopped  the  enemy
 from Kyiv my mom and dad woke up as well  Russians tried to occupy Hostomel the whole   We’re going to be open until the very last, even  troops in all directions and shot a “Welcome
 – but because of explosions. They understood  day.  They  sent  34  military  helicopters  with   if there are bullets flying in the air,” answered  to  hell”  video,  where  they  promised  to  fight
 instantly  what  was  going  on  although  they  their best from the best, but till late into night   the girl.  for Ukraine on the land, on the water and in
 had never heard the sounds of bombs before.  Ukrainian warriors destroyed all of them. As   the air. One of my favorite historic characters,
 They are peaceful, ordinary people. The rocket  it is said in our popular song, “The lullaby for   Literally, all Ukrainians are fighting for their  Winston  Churchill,  told  the  same  to  British
 exploded within 15 miles of their place. They  the enemy”: “You wanted this soil, so mix with   freedom and independence. Russians. Russians  people before the Blitz. For a long time Britain
 put on their clothes in complete darkness and  it now. You will be my soil. Sleep. Sleep.’  are your fairy tale. Smoke and mirrors, bright  stood alone in front of Hitler. As we do now.
 went  down  the  stairs  to  calm  their  five  cats   feathers and a lot of makeup. They enchanted  Other countries observe our Battle for Ukraine
 and the dog. The animals were petrified. My  On  Thursday  German  MP  Frau  Strack-  you  with  the  ballet,  Dostoevsky  and  all  this  from a safe distance. Though there is no safe
 parents bought water and other basic supplies,  Zimmerman  cynically  remarked  that  it  was   “mysterious soul” stuff, but in fact it is only the  distance in Europe anymore.
 and put tape on the windows to protect from  only  a  couple  of  hours  until  Kyiv  would  be   shiny skin of the vampire. The skin hides that
 breaking glass. It was the beginning of the very  occupied. For now, the losses of the Russian   ugly, stinking, hungry monster who longs for  “Mom, tomorrow when we wake up, are you
 long and hard day.  army are more than 2,800 soldiers, about 80   more blood.  going to cry again?” asked my little daughter.
 tanks, 516 armored vehicles, 7 helicopters, 10       “No, sweetheart, tomorrow I’m going to follow
 Today  is  Friday.  I  brought  my  daughter  to  aircraft, and Kyiv is still fighting. Sorry, Frau   We,  Ukrainians,  know  it  very  well.  They  are  messages  from  Ukrainian  warriors.  Nothing
 school while my best friends in Kyiv ran to the  Strack-Zimmerman, Ukrainians disappointed   barbarians  who  have  no  dignity  and  fight  cheers me up better.”
 shelters with kids and animals. Moms gathered  you.  So  many  heroic  dramas  have  occurred:   with  no  rules.  That’s  why  their  targets  are
 around me kindly asking me how I feel and  the Ukrainian soldier who sacrificed his life to   civil  buildings,  hospitals,  kindergartens  and  We urgently need your help when the endless
 how they can help. And for the first time in  blow up the bridge to stop Russian tanks, an   orphanages.  And  Chernobyl.  It  is  not  only  rows  of  gray  military  troops  of  “brothers”
 my  life  I  literally  couldn’t  say  a  single  word.  ordinary Ukrainian who tried to stop Russian   Ukraine that they want, but the whole world as  invades our country. Europe, USA, the World,
 How would I explain this suffering? How to  tanks with his bare hands or the old man who   their hostage. All they do is invade your country  Civilisation, we need your help! We fight for
 fit into one small-talk that extremely long day,  blocked the armored vehicles with his car.  and  destroy  you.  Russians  call  it  “brotherly  the  freedom,  democracy  and  independence
 the day that can be put into scripts for dozens   love”. In their movies Russian soldiers are very  that you’ve declared to be your primary and
 of  movies  starring  famous  actors  or  become  Hollywood,  you  don’t  need  ancient  legends   brave. The reality shows they are just cowards  most precious values. It is time to prove they
 bestselling books? Where shall I begin? Maybe  anymore,  the  first  day  of  war  in  Ukraine   though. Yesterday, during the first day of the  are  not  merely  beautiful  meaningless  words.
 with Snake Island, the tiny rocky plot of land  provided you with plenty of stories for the new   massive invasion, a whole brigade surrendered  Otherwise, what’s the sense in reading to your
 in the Black sea, guarded by 13 border patrol  Oscar-winning  movie  to  watch  and  cry.  Or   to the Ukrainian army without a single shot  child  The  Lord  of  the  Rings’  where  people,
 agents, a rocky outcropping with nowhere to  maybe I will tell you about Russian divisions   fired.  Their  chief  officer  looked  very  scared.  elves, dwarfs and hobbits unite to fight against
 hide  and  just  a  couple  of  buildings  and  two  whose tank ran over the civilian car with the   Ukrainian  Army.  My  friends  are  joking  that  Mordor whilst we let orcs and goblins destroy
 Russian warships in plain sight.  man inside on the almost empty street in Kyiv?   we believe in our army more than the Pope of  someone’s green and wonderful Shire in real
 They were caught on camera by ordinary boys.  Rome believes in God.  life?  We  have  lit  up  our  warning  beacons!
 “This is a Russian warship. Lay down your arms       Where are you, Gondor?
 and surrender to avoid bloodshed. Otherwise,  Shoulder to shoulder Ukrainian civilians and   People have donated more than £500k in just
 we will fire on you!”  the  Army  fight  against  Russian  occupants.   a single day alone to our popular fundraising   Antonina Maliei
 “Russian warship, go fuck to Hell!” were the last  Right now as I write, moms in Ukrainian cities   “Save life”. It was our anti-stress exercise. The
 words of our warriors, who will be honored as  share  the  Molotov  cocktail  recipe  on  social   Ukrainian Army feels the support and fights




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