I’ve been thinking about our antifragility recently.
Because lately, it’s been challenging to handle all this information-wise. And all these attacks on the military, yes, they are very, very few percentage-wise, but the resonance is quite strong. At least on social media. And the weather, the weather really played against us this winter. And four years of strikes on the energy sector did their job. And the Russian offensive. And “peace deal.” And much more.
Then I thought: — Hmm, relative to what is our state like this? Because you need to assess resistance by the intensity of action.
Because the war has been going on for 12 years.
12.
Damn.
Years.
First, these deaths on the Maidan and pro-Russian collaborators. Then Crimea. Then ATO. And yes, I understand these are different conflicts by intensity, but for the wounded and deceased in the same Ilovaisk encirclement or Sector D, comparisons don’t matter. Injury is injury, death is death. The invasion of Russian units when it was understood that it wouldn’t be enough with just the separatists. And years of war of attrition. Attempts to strengthen Russian political forces through Medvedchuk and others, pressure on the front, Debaltseve, all aimed so people would give up and surrender.
Like Georgia, for example, which doesn’t resist the constant movement of Russian troops, moving the border for many years. Without resistance. Georgians see but endure. All their Maidans are dispersed. Development of the country is absent. Prospects — zero.
Ukraine was supposed to tire of ATO and place pro-Russian forces in power, who promised to resolve this conflict (for which the conflict was started by Russia). But they missed the point. Understood that Ukraine adapted, and thus, it would simply outlive Putin. They attacked with everything available. And also much from Iran and North Korea. They threatened with a nuclear strike.
And Ukraine does not fall. Lives, where it’s thin and fragile, supported by volunteers. And it worked.
And what about Russia?
Wasted the equipment from storage bases that the Soviet Union accumulated over decades. Ruined the energy business. Spent all those reserves accumulated from the times when a barrel of oil cost 140 bucks, and Russia didn’t know what to do with this “golden rain” from selling energy resources. Now the storage bases are empty, the defense industry plants are on the brink of bankruptcy, and about trading energy resources the TVs talk of another “golden rain,” how great it is to sell them to China below cost.
In 2024, Ukraine had problems on the front stronger than in 2025. But it adapted. Increased drone crews. Built a kill zone. Started almost every week taking out objects on Russian territory. Reduced its losses on the front.
And we watch as Russia throws the remnants of its power into the war’s furnace. Yes, they are still powerful, but these are remnants. And we are not ready under these conditions to give up our lands just like that, without a fight. Because we are still capable of fighting.
These were 12 years during which we experienced everything. Propaganda, political pressure, “peace deals,” hybrid war, full-scale war, and, despite everything, we are still standing. How we haven’t gone crazy yet — who knows. Not many countries could endure such.
Look back. Realize the path we’ve traveled and the conditions we were in.
We are still here. We stand. And on the horizon, there is no force that could break us, despite all the complexity of the present.
This is important to remember. Important to focus on. Especially in these difficult times.
