Once-upon-a-time, Kyiv was full of life with concerts, festivals and many other different social and cultural events. Tourists traveled to Kyiv from all over the world. It never slept for the vibrancy that it was.
That’s how Sergii described his city to us. Pre-invasion.
Kyiv still doesn’t sleep. But it’s a fitful frightful time with ballistic missiles and drones raining terror from the sky. Day-and-night, sirens and bombs, explosions and weeping.
Kyiv began to feel quiet and almost empty to Sergii.
“It was clear that people are what give the city its life and energy. And now, despite the constant air raid alerts and attacks, Kyiv is coming back to life. People want to live, and little by little the city is attracting visitors from around the world again.”
Before the full-scale invasion Sergii loved to travel with family or friends in Ukraine and abroad.
“I just loved being on the move. Sadly, I really miss traveling. I can still travel around Ukraine because I work remotely, but it doesn’t bring me the same joy as it did before. Everything has changed.”
Sergii misses many friends who have moved abroad while others joined the Armed Forces to defend Ukraine.
Since the full-scale invasion, Sergii told us that he has “learned many things I never thought I would need to know in peacetime, like recognizing different types of missiles and drones, how to use a tourniquet, and what to pack in an emergency bag.”
“The way I see the world has also changed. No one expected to see such evil in the heart of Europe in the 21st century.”
Sergii writes often to Defenders. He first heard about Postcards to the Front from Tamara, who told the Ukrainian Postcrossing community about it in 2023.
“Later,” he added, “Helen also told me about the project on the Postcrossing Forum.”
As a Ukrainian with a passion for the art of postcard communication, Sergii told us —
“I think people should always write from the heart. Besides words of thanks and support, postcard warriors can also share small personal stories that may inspire a Defender and remind them who and what they are protecting. This is especially meaningful when children write postcards.”
Further, he noted, “postcards remind Defenders and their families that they are not alone. They show that people around the world support them and that there is something worth fighting for.”
Unfortunately, none of the Defenders that Sergii knows has received postcards like those gathered through Postcards to the Front.
“I have seen many photos online from other Defenders [who have received postcards]. Their faces show smiles and tears of joy, especially when the postcards are written by children. Children are the future of Ukraine, and that is what they are fighting for.”
Sergii is a regular reader of our newsletter, “always curious to see what you have prepared, what activities you have organized, and who you will introduce us to next.”
He offered us some suggestions for future issues.
“I would love to read more stories from Defenders about receiving postcards, although I understand that it is not always easy to get those stories. It would also be interesting to read more about different parts of Ukraine, our traditions, culture, and history. Or maybe interviews with people from other countries about what they know about Ukraine.”
All great ideas!
We encourage our readers to reach out and offer suggestions, and to share with us about their knowledge about Ukraine before the full-scale invasion and how awareness has changed over the past 4½ years.
Along with gratitude for the support that Ukraine receives, that Defenders receive, Sergii expressed a sadness that “with the war still going on, we cannot forget it, even for a moment.”
“Please continue to support Ukraine and Ukrainians in any way you can. Donate to trusted organizations, volunteer, and keep telling people about the war – in schools, on TV, or wherever you can. If there are Ukrainian refugees in your country, please support them too.”
And when the day of victory arrives, Sergii believes that “Ukraine will be more united, stronger, and most importantly, free. Ukrainians are no longer afraid of destruction because we know that after the war we will rebuild everything together.”
And, he projects, Ukraine will need help from other countries to rebuild Ukraine and to clear landmines.
“People can [also] support us by visiting Ukraine and to discover its beauty, culture, and diversity.”
Sergii’s final words to postcard warriors: “thank you for this wonderful project and for your great support of our Defenders and the Ukrainian people. Thank you!”
Please tell others about this project. Ask family and friends to write cards. Involve your children and grandchildren. Defenders especially value postcards with drawings from children.
Not sure how to get started? Check our “How to” page, and our Ukrainian phrases page. Want to organize a group of family, friends or others to write postcards? We have a page with suggestions about How to Run a Postcard-Writing Workshop.
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