Vlada Toporkova

For over a century, Russia has followed a brutal colonial script: gaslight, invade, exterminate. With 48 invasions in the last 100 years alone, Moscow has nearly succeeded in erasing its crimes from history, leaving the world blind to its bloody legacy.

As Russia’s full-scale war in Ukraine enters its third year, Western governments face a choice: act now or risk global instability. The West must sufficiently provide aid and arm Ukraine to win or face the consequences of unchecked Russian expansion.

From the Mariupol Drama Theatre, where children sought shelter, to frescoed homes and Cathedrals—no part of Ukraine’s history is safe from Russia’s aggression. Whether by missile or occupation, Ukraine’s centuries-old culture, like its people, is being relentlessly destroyed.

In just six years, Ukraine has surged from 102nd to 5th place globally in digital public services—all while enduring relentless Russian attacks. But how did a nation at war transform into a leader of the digital revolution?

“I had a wonderful childhood, a great life, and good friends,” says Dany, a 27-year-old drone pilot, recalling her home city of Luhansk with a wistful smile. When Russia occupied Luhansk in 2014, she was just 16. Today, as Russia bombards Kharkiv and Kyiv—the cities she now calls home—Dany is no longer a child. Today, she serves in the Ukrainian Armed Forces and fights back. “I won’t let them take my home from me twice.”

While Ukrainian chess players fall victim to Russia’s ongoing invasion, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) is on the verge of fully reinstating Russia and Belarus in global chess—a decision that could forever stain the sport’s integrity and hand Moscow a major propaganda victory.