According to The Economist, in normal times, the choice of the country of the year is carried out according to a very clear procedure: from a short list of countries that have become much better in 1 year, they choose the very best one. It usually starts with small debates between writers and editors and ends with a general choice. However, this year everything is different: they chose a country whose situation has only become worse. But The Economist affirms:
"Our country of the year for 2022 can only be Ukraine."
With the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the life of its population suffered greatly: thousands of people died, and millions were forced to escape to other countries, cities were burned, and the state's economy fell by a third. The Ukrainians who remained in Ukraine often sit in cold apartments without water and electricity. However, our people sunk into the heart and impressed the editors of The Economist. How? There are 4 qualities.
Heroism. Putin clearly expected the country's defenders to scatter and Ukraine to surrender or break. Evidence of this is that the Russian soldiers arrived in dress uniform for the parade on Khreshchatyk (the main street of Kyiv) but without a supply of food and fuel. And today is the 300th day of the war. At the beginning of the war, Zelenskyy, who was planned to be evacuated to the United States, said that he need "ammunition, not a ride." The Ukrainians showed the same quality.
"Professors, plumbers and pop stars flocked to enlist, swapping comfortable beds for frosty foxholes and the risk of agonizing death. In battle after battle they routed the Russians. In defending themselves against an aggressor who disputed their country's right to exist as an independent state, they found a new sense of nationhood."
Ingenuity. The Ukrainians calculated their enemies' weak points, destroyed enemy weapons and fuel depots, cut off support supplies from Russia, quickly learned to use Western weapons, shared decision-making responsibilities, and bypassed the "plodding, hierarchical" Russians. The Ukrainians accept the intelligence assistance of their partners, while the Russian army is half-blind and unprepared, and some of them call the open line to surrender to Ukrainian captivity I want to live.
Resilience. When there is no water in Ukrainian houses again, we melt the snow. When there is no electricity — we find a cafe with a generator and work from there. Many Ukrainians have moved into their offices and live there with their colleagues, warming and caring for each other. Ukrainians know exactly which items of food and medicine are the most important and have taught their children the shortest and safest way to the bomb shelter.
"The horrors Mr Putin keeps inflicting on them do not seem to have dented their morale."
Ukrainians did not become beasts in response to the atrocities of the Russian army. "And with a few exceptions, they have not answered war crimes with war crimes." Russians deliberately bomb residential infrastructure and kill children, rob and rape Ukrainians. However, even against the backdrop of these horrors, Russians who were returned from Ukrainian captivity talk about how well they were treated.
"This is largely because Ukraine is not, as Mr Putin claims, a Nazi state, but a democracy where human lives matter."
Ukrainian resistance protected not only the Ukrainian people but also neighbouring countries: Moldova, Georgia, and the Baltic countries. Russia regularly terrorizes and threatens them, but Ukrainians have proven that David defeats Goliath.
"It has thus been an inspiration not only to places with predatory neighbours, such as Taiwan but also to oppressed people everywhere. Many tyrants broadcast big lies to justify their misdeeds, and impose their will through terror. Ukrainians have shown that lies can be exposed and terror can be resisted. Their struggle is far from over. But their example in 2022 was second to none. Slava Ukraini!"
Of course, this article encourages Ukrainians to continue our fight. But even without this, we know that we are a great people, and we are defending our freedom. These words are from our national anthem:
"We will give soul and body for our freedom,
And we will show that we, brothers, are of the Cossack nation."
The European Parliament awarded the Brave Ukrainian people with the Sakharov prize For Freedom of Thought.
