Ukraine still can’t produce its own analog of a missile that would be as effective a defense as the Patriot against ballistic and hypersonic missiles that Russia uses daily against civilian areas, in addition to waves of drones. Europe seems to be struggling to help us as well.
On Friday, U.S. Independence Day, Russia attacked with 550 drones and missiles, a new record. After the attack, we Ukrainians got up and went on with our daily routines. Businesses opened despite broken windows, and hospitals treated the wounded, but life went on until the next night.
“It’s interesting that during the day, no one asks how the night was, because everyone is in the same boat. And if you are still there by lunchtime, then you are fine,” said Vladyslav Faraponov, 27, the head of the Institute of American Studies, who lives in the center of the capital.
“Today at 8 a.m., I apologized to my dentist for being late. He was like: ‘What are you talking about? Everyone is barely standing, as if they all partied out somewhere until morning,’” Faraponov added.
Disillusionment with our strongest ally, the United States, seems to fill all conversations. We still appeal for help, but it seems like screaming into the void. Our routine has become laced with death, but for many nations that used to support us, our suffering seems to have turned into somebody else’s problem.
Of course, we still believe, but with each new attack that is once again “condemned by the free world,” that is still not daring to impose really strong sanctions against Russia, to send up more air defense systems or to hand over the Kremlin’s frozen assets to Ukraine, our hope fades away a drop at a time.
