The second year of war dragged on through Ukraine slowly and with little mercy. The first year of the war was a story of the resilience of people amid conflict that has turned into one of perseverance as the conflict has stagnated, with no end in sight.
As I've continued to cover the stories of the ongoing war, what comes up more and more are the deep wounds that are leaving equally deep scars across the population both mentally and physically.
The long-awaited counteroffensive never produced the results that people hoped for this past year. Russian strikes continue to pound Ukrainian cities, and civilians die regularly. Shifting attitudes in the U.S. have begun to evaporate hope for ongoing support, the unforgiving front lines churn through soldiers, and other urgent conflicts have drawn the media's attention away from Ukraine.
During all this, civilians in Ukraine make impossible choices to do what they can to support their families and simply survive. Even during this war, there are beautiful moments of hope and joy as I've seen babies grow up full of life, love connects people across the country, and life generally continues on.
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