On Feb 24, 2022, the world for millions of Ukrainians was split into a “before” and “after.” We all became different - stronger, more exhausted, but undeniably changed.
But what if we had the chance to warn our past selves? What would we tell those who had yet to learn the sound of air raid sirens, the weight of an evacuation backpack, the terror of explosions, and the unbearable grief of loss and rage?
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This article gathers letters to the past, written by some of those whose lives changed overnight. They share their words with those who had no idea that war was already standing on their doorstep.
“Take a Picture - You’ll Never See It Like This Again”
“The day before the war, I would tell myself one thing: Take as many photos of your city as you can. Remember it as it was - you’ll never see it that way again,” says 30-year-old Maryna, whose hometown, Sievierodonetsk, in the Luhansk region is now under Russian occupation.
“And before you evacuate, grab a few childhood photos, pictures with your parents, small things that remind you of home. Because you may never see them again.”
Speaking to Kyiv Post, she gives her past self a crucial piece of advice: “Don’t be afraid. And prepare - this is just the beginning.”
“I Had to Choose - My Children or My Duty”
Death of Diplomacy
For 53-year-old Alla, a servicewoman before the full-scale invasion, the hardest part was deciding who she was first - a mother of two or a soldier who had sworn an oath to defend Ukraine.
“If I could change anything that day, I would have sent my children abroad first. The hardest part was choosing between my duty as a soldier and my duty as a mother,” she says, holding back tears.
“I Knew It Was Coming - And I Was Ready”
On Feb. 23, Andrii, 39, had no illusions. When President Zelensky addressed the Russian people, he knew it was a signal - the invasion was inevitable.
In Poltava, he braced for the chaos of the first hours. If he could warn himself, he would have wanted precise intel on Russian troop movements to find safe evacuation routes for his family. He also would have wanted to know where to get weapons quickly - because outside of Kyiv, it was nearly impossible.
Before the war, Andrii ran three media outlets with over a hundred employees. He had a plan in place for his teams. When Feb. 24 came, he acted methodically: fueled up the car, stocked up on supplies, secured documents and cash.
His family evacuated, and he went straight to the recruitment office to join the Territorial Defense.
“I wasn’t really interested in holding the ‘information front’ in Poltava. I just wanted to kill as many Russians as possible,” he says.
If he could change anything, he would have stopped running to the basement every time the air raid siren went off - in those first days, people wasted time and energy panicking over the unknown.
“I signed a military contract. I had to leave a well-paid job, a great apartment, everything I had worked for. It was all gone in an instant,” he tells Kyiv Post.
But he has no regrets.
“If I hadn’t made that choice, I would never have forgiven myself.”
The biggest surprise for Andrii was the immediate unity of the nation. Despite years of political division, Ukrainians stood together.
The hardest moment was seeing Russian Ka-52 helicopters circling over Kyiv Oblast. For a brief second, fear crept in - What if Kyiv falls?
“But then, the first images of those helicopters being shot down appeared. The bodies of Russian paratroopers, draped in St. George ribbons, lying torn apart on our land. The fear disappeared. It turned into fury, adrenaline, and an overwhelming desire to join the collective extermination of the occupiers.”
“The War Taught Me to Say ‘I Love You’”
At first, Oksana, 48, a government worker, simply couldn’t believe it was happening. Even when she heard the rumble of tanks, her mind refused to accept the reality.
The most painful part? She was far from her daughter. Everything changed - her priorities, her values, her friendships.
“The war taught me to hug the people I love, to say: ‘I miss you’ and ‘I love you’ without hesitation.”
The Morning That Changed Everything
At 4:00 AM on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia launched a full-scale invasion, striking Ukraine from three directions - north, east, and south. Explosions rocked Kyiv, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Mariupol, Lviv, and other cities as Russia fired hundreds of missiles at military and civilian infrastructure. Russian forces crossed the border from Belarus, pushing toward Kyiv, Chernihiv, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Kherson.
In Hostomel, just 30 km from the capital, Russian paratroopers attempted to seize the Antonov Airport, aiming to use it as a staging ground for an assault on Kyiv. But Ukrainian forces repelled the attack.
Russia planned a “lightning strike” to capture Kyiv within 72 hours. Instead, Ukraine fought back - and won the Battle of Kyiv.
The first hours of the war were chaotic, brutal, and defining. And now, in its fourth year, the fight continues.
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