No One Hopes For A Quick End To The War in Ukraine - January 21st 2026

January 21st 2026

Yuriy opens up about his prolonged absence and the challenges faced due to personal struggles with depression and caution in communication. He provides an insightful look into the difficulties Ukraine is currently facing, including severe winter conditions, escalating attacks on civilians and infrastructure, and the pervasive impact of the ongoing war on future plans. Yuriy shares a poignant narrative about the harsh realities of living in war-torn Ukraine and the need for global support and understanding.

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TRANSCRIPT: (Apple Podcasts & Podbean app users can enjoy accurate closed captions)    

This is January 21st.

I've been absent from here for quite a long time. This is connected, first of all with depression, which from time to time catches up with me and turns me into a person who's simply unable to write a conscious, coherent text. And secondly, is connected with caution. I really don't want to say something that could damage relations between Ukraine and the United States, something that officials in America, if they hear it might perceive as an insult and begin to put even more pressure on Ukraine.

These are very hard times right now, probably the hardest of all the years of the full scale war. We don't know what to expect from our, until very recently, main ally, and at the same time, this is very coldest winter in years. It is very cold and Russia is constantly trying to make advantage of it. Every day the occupiers bomb heat and power plants living millions of Ukrainians without heat and electricity. This happened in previous years as well, but now everything is much worse because of a prolonged severe frost and the large number of missiles and drones the Russians have stockpiled. The number of civilians killed by this scum grows every day.

No one hopes for a quick end of the war anymore. All plans for this year are connected only with the war. The son of my friends who will turn 25 in November, the age of conscription into the active army, is already looking for a unit for himself already now, almost a year in advance. He wants to find one where he can be as effective as possible.

As it turns out, it is very difficult to live in a world where for years your future is tied only to war attempts to plan something to dream about something are absolutely futile. You begin to live in  short stretches of time to make it to the next week, to wait until it gets warm, even just to make it to evening.

When you live in this mode and at the same time, know exactly who has imposed this mode on you, it is very painful to watch how somewhere in the world this maniac and murderer is still considered a respectable person, is invited places, is consulted about something- damn, I'm about to slip and to things I shouldn't.

So just know this: we are holding on despite everything, and we believe that reasonable people from all over the world are with us and on our side. Thank you.

Episode Transcript

(00:03):
This is January 21st.
I've been absent from herefor quite a long time.
This is connected, first of allwith depression, which from time to
time catches up with me and turnsme into a person who's simply unable
to write a conscious, coherent text.
And secondly, is connected with caution.

(00:24):
I really don't want to say something thatcould damage relations between Ukraine
and the United States, something thatofficials in America, if they hear it
might perceive as an insult and beginto put even more pressure on Ukraine.
These are very hard times rightnow, probably the hardest of all
the years of the full scale war.

(00:46):
We don't know what to expect fromour, until very recently, main
ally, and at the same time, thisis very coldest winter in years.
It is very cold and Russia is constantlytrying to make advantage of it.
Every day the occupiers bomb heatand power plants living millions of
Ukrainians without heat and electricity.

(01:08):
This happened in previous years aswell, but now everything is much worse
because of a prolonged severe frostand the large number of missiles and
drones the Russians have stockpiled.
The number of civilians killedby this scum grows every day.
No one hopes for a quickend of the war anymore.

(01:29):
All plans for this year areconnected only with the war.
The son of my friends who will turn 25in November, the age of conscription
into the active army, is alreadylooking for a unit for himself
already now, almost a year in advance.
He wants to find one where hecan be as effective as possible.

(01:52):
As it turns out, it is very difficultto live in a world where for years
your future is tied only to warattempts to plan something to dream
about something are absolutely futile.
You begin to live in short stretchesof time to make it to the next
week, to wait until it gets warm,even just to make it to evening.

(02:15):
When you live in this mode and at thesame time, know exactly who has imposed
this mode on you, it is very painful towatch how somewhere in the world this
maniac and murderer is still considereda respectable person, is invited places,
is consulted about something- damn, I'mabout to slip and to things I shouldn't.

So just know this (02:38):
we are holding on despite everything, and we believe
that reasonable people from all overthe world are with us and on our side.
Thank you.