1256 day of war

Hello, friends,

These past weeks have been tough. I’ve been racing to finish some T-shirt orders on time, while also working on a tapestry as a gift for my parents. I’m managing to get everything done, but only because I’ve been working on it every single day.

Right now, there’s no regular job. Since the war began, summer has become a very quiet season for us—orders have nearly stopped—so I try to keep going by focusing on dyeing at least. It’s a way to survive and stay busy.

At the same time, protests have broken out across the country, which really surprised me. It started when the government uncovered Russian agents inside anti-corruption agencies, arrested them, and then essentially stripped those institutions of their independence.

Of course, no one here is shocked by the fact that there are Russian agents in government structures—they’ve been there for years, and they’ll probably keep being uncovered for a long time. But what really upset people was how it was done. The law was passed in just one day, with no public discussion.

That rubbed people the wrong way. Since the Maidan revolution in 2014, we’ve chosen the path of building a democratic society—where decisions come from an independent parliament, not from one person. And these anti-corruption agencies are one of the few things that still give us hope. We all want to live in a country where the law applies equally to everyone and where a dignified life is possible.

There were protests in my own city too, with many people taking part. These were the first protests since the full-scale war began. Although technically banned, there were no clashes with the police. The government responded quickly, reversed its decision, and restored the agencies' independence. I’m honestly relieved it ended this way. Internal conflict can be just as destructive as war—and we really don’t need that now.

Meanwhile, attacks are happening nearly every day here, and it seems like that won’t stop anytime soon. I saw Trump’s recent statements about realizing that Putin isn’t planning to stop the war and that he’s preparing mechanisms to pressure him. That’s good to hear, but I don’t have high hopes. Sanctions take time to work—they don’t change things overnight.

And right now, as we live under constant missile and drone attacks—attacks that have become only more advanced and destructive over time—it’s becoming clear that there won’t be quick solutions. We have to get used to this reality and keep hoping, every time, that we make it through.

It’s exhausting. But we’re still holding on.

In the photo — some storks we saw while walking in the mountains during a rainy day. I didn’t get many good shots because of the thick fog, but these birds stood out and left a strong impression on me.

Thank you so much to everyone supporting me on BuyMeACoffee. This month has been especially hard, and I’m deeply grateful. Your help is making a real difference—thank you!