Canadians celebrated the 159th birthday of our nation on July 1st with BBQs, bug spray, concerts, and fireworks. In Ukraine, the fireworks were what followed drone and rocket attacks on civilians.
24 Hours in Ukraine
I thought I would share an objective look at life in Ukraine over a 24-hour period. The day was July 1st. A special day in Canada, but it was a day like any of the other 1589 days in Ukraine during this senseless war of terrorism.
The day began for me with a post from a 36-year old journalist, followed by President Zelenskyy’s warnings in a press conference in Ireland and followed by the latest Russian attack. (All links are to X. Apologies if you don’t have X)
Kateryna’s Perspective
Kateryna Lisunova – Kateryna is a 36-year-old, Ukrainian journalist working in Washington, DC. July 1st – 7:57AM – MT – “Putin will never willingly agree to end this war – or even pause it. In many ways, he needed this war to remain in power. No matter how difficult things become, war can always be used as an excuse. And according to his own propaganda, you can’t blame him because this war was never presented as a choice but as a so-called “historical obligation”.
Imagine a machine accelerating to full speed and suddenly stopping – it overturns and breaks. In today’s reality, this machine will eventually crash into the wall of Ukrainian resistance anyway, making the fall even more dramatic and disruptive. But he cannot stop it himself, because stopping would also lead to his own collapse – and this is what he cares the most about. By continuing the war, Putin is buying time for himself, not for Russia. He no longer seems to care about his great legacy and what happens after him – the ambition of becoming a great historical leader has already collapsed. He appears focused only on staying in power; otherwise, he would be either killed or convicted.”
President Zelenksyy Exits Ireland Early to Return to Ukraine
President Zelenskyy – July 1st – Ireland – 10:00AM MT – “Today, we have information about another massive Russian strike – we have relevant intelligence data. And immediately after this conversation, I am returning to Ukraine. I ask our people in Ukraine to be especially careful – stay safe and protect your families and children – be sure to take shelter and pay attention to air-raid alerts in Ukraine. We know that Putin has been preparing a massive strike against Ukraine for some time.
That is exactly the threat we are facing tonight. Russia’s head is completely refusing to end the war. And although through all possible official and unofficial channels – including through people close to him – we have conveyed that the war can and must be ended, and that we in Ukraine are ready for meetings and meaningful negotiations, he sees only further aggression against Ukraine and against other neighbors and Europe as a whole.”
Kyiv
YAVoyager – July 1st – 6:23PM – MT – “Kyiv tonight feels like hell. This may be the largest attack so far. More Kalibr cruise missiles are being launched right now.” 
Katerina Horbunova posts on X about the war through the eyes of a Ukrainian. 7:00PM MT – “It is night in Ukraine right now, almost 4 a.m. Ukrainians are underground, those who have such an opportunity in their cities, while others are just in their homes and apartments, hearing, and even watching from their windows, yet another round of nightly explosions and flashes.”
YAVoyager – 7:23PM – MT – “This is beyond horrific. A Russian missile tore through a residential building, leaving half of it reduced to rubble. One person has been confirmed killed and 11 injured so far. Sadly, the death toll is likely to rise.”
8:27PM MT – Caolan – Irish journalist Caolan Robertson initially planned a short trip to Ukraine after the full-scale invasion began. But he stayed. He quit his job in London and first settled in Odesa and then moved to Kyiv. He received an award from President Zelenskyy on June 28th for his support of Ukraine. “A European capital is on fire because Russia spent the night firing missiles at civilians in their beds. Kyiv is full of smoke. People are buried under rubble. This is terrorism.”
A US Journalist
Zarina Zabrisky – A US journalist in Ukraine. 8:43PM – MT – “I am back in Ukraine as the massive attack is ongoing. 3 killed, over 30 injured in Kherson today; overnight at least 2 killed and 20 injured in Kyiv and Odesa was hit.”
Katerina Horbunova – 10:45PM MT – “This is a morning for Ukrainians, a morning for Ukraine, and this is what it is like in Kyiv right now. This is not the Donetsk region, where such things have already become a regular occurrence. I remember how what you are seeing once shook the world, but now, today, it simply causes people to have desperate thoughts, a heavy sigh, and silence. Silence, simply because everything has been said long ago, much has been said, and sometimes even very loudly. But… today is morning again for my people.
Also, explosions were heard tonight in Sumy, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro region. The full-scale war with Russia has been going on for 1590 days already… too long; who could have thought or imagined that everything would turn out this way, and there are still so many unknown events ahead.”
July 2nd
July 2nd – 1:07AM MT – Maria Avdeeva – A security expert covering the Russian invasion from Ukraine since February 23, 2024. “Living in Kyiv these days feels like the circle of Russian terror keeps getting closer. Tonight one friend lost her home. Another found shrapnel in her son’s bedroom. Thirteen people were killed.
3:40AM MT – Anton Garshchenko – A former advisor to the Ukrainian Internal Affairs Minister –“The death toll of the Russian attack on Kyiv has grown to 18 people. Search and rescue operations continue. It’s so hard to go online after massive Russian attacks – the news are more horrible every time…”
7:12AM MT – Olena Halushka – “Spending the night in a crowded shelter alongside hundreds of strangers and their pets is neither comfortable nor pleasant, to be honest. But as exhausting as it is, I’d rather listen to babies crying than see half-empty shelters while Russia intensifies its ruthless attacks on residential neighbourhoods in Ukraine with 500+ drones and 50-70 missiles. Last night, a record 52.5k people sought refuge in Kyiv’s metro stations. Many others spent the night in underground parking garages and basements. As rescue operations continue, the death toll in Kyiv has risen to 20, making this one of the deadliest attacks on the capital in the last years. This is what letting Russian evil go unpunished leads to. Russia is a terrorist state.”
From A Poet
A final word in 24 hours that captures the emotion of living through endless terror, quoted by Olexsander Scherba, the Ukrainian ambassador to South Africa.
Ukrainian poet Vasyl Zyma about July 2nd morning in Kyiv:
“The city had survived another terrible night. Exhausted soldiers sat by the bus stop with their gear, breathing out smoke. A boat with an anti-aircraft mount crawled along the Dnipro. Missiles came at Kyiv in several waves. Shaheds broke through among them, buzzing over the buildings. Smoke rose over the city here, and there, and somewhere else again. Black, yellow, violet, gray.
Near a building where a fire had just been put out, people walked around in robes and tracksuits. From the metro, men and women streamed out with pets on leashes and sleeping mats on their backs. Smoke poured from black window frames. People had lost their apartments.
This was in Shuliavka. In Darnytsia, a missile simply destroyed several floors. The sounds at night were like a hellish symphony, where the devil’s basses tried to be drowned out by the treble of the sky’s defenders.
A new day was beginning. One that at least ten people would once again not live to see.
Smoke trails stretch over the city, and heat spills out onto the roads and sidewalks.
July 2nd. Heat.”
Final Word From Pastor Pavel
Pavel is the pastor taken into the Ukrainian military, deployed to the front lines, and now serves as a medical chaplain. We received this on July 2nd.
“One page of life….it seems…that it doesn’t matter much…but…it all depends on..how this “page” is lived…April 2024…it’s already in the past…but…during the trials…here in Ukraine..we learned to appreciate the day…that we live…we only have this day…but…again but…when friends are around us…today…gives us hope…today is Canada Day…I want to thank all our friends…Ed and Natasha Dixon (by the way…happy birthday!)…Pastor Patty and Jeff….Stephen Herzog and his family…Joe Amorola…Bob Jones and his wonderful wife Jocelyn (I hope I spelled the name correctly🙏)…thank you Terry Burns and his family…David Hensman…John (military)….and others (sorry if I didn’t mention anyone)….
also a special thank you to Carolina…for the dedication for the people from Ukraine…Thank you to Canada…for welcoming people from Ukraine…thank you for the help…for the things…for the products…for the special “soups”…thank you for the Ukrainian flags flying on your buildings…thank you for the warmth and power of your prayers…I want to say to Canadians on this day…You are stronger…than you think…Your hearts are sincere and full of love…and in my opinion…if Canada as a country continues to show determination and preserve its values…
Canada
It will become a true leader in the World…believe me…here in Ukraine…we see more than ever…that modern world leadership…is empty…and unprincipled…GREETINGS TO YOU FRIENDS…HAPPY CANADA DAY TO YOU…
I pray for you friends…I believe…that Our Savior Jesus will bless you!
What can you do to help? We can’t help everyone but we can help someone. We’re working through Loads of Love to help Pastor Leonid and Tanya purchase materials to turn an old building into a place where young people discover new life in Christ. Your church could partner with a sister church in Ukraine.
A gift of any amount will help purchase the materials. You or your church could partner with a sister church in Ukraine.
Give to “Ukraine – Jones Ministry” to be receipted. Thank you.
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