Witnessing Kyiv Under Attack This Morning

By Steve Richards

​As I visit Ukraine during the holidays and premiere my new documentary for Bucha next Friday I thought I was just going to send out an update today of a post from earlier this year about how nice Kyiv was. All about how pleasant it is here; how everything is open and how nicely people seem to be getting along. Going to work, shopping, eating out. There's solid power, cell service, and wi-fi. Most of all it was about how Kyiv had obviously adjusted to this war. All of which is true. (Hello from Kyiv! Wish You Were Here)

If anything, I didn’t realize just how well.

Missile strikes woke up this city after a night filled with air raid sirens, which I largely slept through. I personally witnessed two explosions clearly visible from my room about a mile or so from the hotel. It totally freaked me out and it didn’t take me long to find the bomb shelter after ignoring so many air raid sirens in the past. This is my third visit since March 2022 and the first explosion I have witnessed personally.

The first blast shortly before 8 AM got me out of my seat and to the window where I could see smoke rising from behind St. Sophia’s Cathedral a kilometer away. At that moment I collected myself enough to begin shooting footage from my 11th floor window overlooking Independence Square. The second explosion rocked the city just before I hit the record button fireball and all. If you watch the video clip you can still hear the explosion echoing through the city as I just missed filming the blast. The smoke plumes are clearly visible and in more than one spot. Fortunately injuries were few.

Apparently, there was a “massive missile strike” this morning on targets all over Ukraine. Also reported is that all the missiles targeting Kyiv were intercepted. What I witnessed was debris falling to the ground. It would appear that unexploded war heads count as “debris”.

It is impossible for Americans to relate to such things though we are used to things that would make Ukrainians shudder like mass shootings. The idea of a missile strike on the USA by Russia – or any other country - is unthinkable, except to nuclear war planners that started preparing for Russian ICBM strikes in the 1950’s. Those plans are still in effect as Russian warheads are still pointed at us.

But what is most intriguing for a guy like me is how nonchalant Kyiv’s citizens are to such attacks. They are so used to it. Nothing closed down though the hotel staff did go to the bomb shelter for 30 minutes or so. But when it was over they all got back to work.

The net effect on my day? A breakfast appointment got pushed back an hour or so due to traffic tie ups as did my appointment with the barber. By the time I left my hotel at lunchtime the smoke plumes were gone.
That’s it. Like nothing happened. People about their business.

​As Julia said in Back to Bucha reflecting the spirit of all Ukrainians living through this war: “You really do get used to anything.”

By Steve Richards

​As we approach the two-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February, I am kicking off Back to Bucha’s impact campaign with its Ukraine premiere on January 5th being the highlight - in Bucha!

And just like my first trip to Bucha in April 2022 it will take several days of trains, planes, and automobiles to get there. That includes an overnight flight to Warsaw from Boston, a night in Warsaw, an overnight sleeper train to Kyiv, and then a car to Bucha. Which I am thrilled to have by the way. The first time had me hiking from Kyiv (no cars available) with the accompanying low-level threat of stepping on a land mine continually in the back of my mind.

All in all, a three-day journey.

I am halfway this morning and writing this post from the Hampton Inn by the Chopin Airport in Warsaw. I always look forward to this place. I use it to compress as I prepare to enter Ukraine, and again to decompress when I head back home.
But as much as I enjoy coming here I’d rather fly over it. It makes me crazy that I can’t fly to Lviv, let alone Kyiv. It wasn’t so long ago before 2022 that it would have been routine. Even after the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the Maidan protests, and the appearance of little green men in the Donbas flights continued. Even after Putin approved the downing of the Malaysian Air flight that same year.

Patriot missiles systems are in Ukraine now and have been for some time. These reduce the risk to commercial jets to an absolute minimum even if Russia were foolish enough to again target civilian aircraft and risk an escalation with NATO. Putin understands the impact of this economic blackmail – and it costs him next to nothing. It shouldn’t be allowed to continue especially given Russia’s weaknesses.

Stick it to Putin while providing a huge boost in morale to Ukrainians and their supporters? The time is nigh for flights to resume. Ukraine’s economic recovery depends on it.

A direct flight to Lviv and then a train to Kyiv? Sign me up for the first flight.

​Because as much as I look forward to going back to Bucha, I don’t look forward to getting there.

By Steve Richards

This week, some 246 years ago on December 19, 1777, General George Washington lead his battered 12,000-man army into their winter quarters having just failed to retake Philadelphia. The war for America’s independence was well into its third year going back to the first battles at Lexington and Concord, and Bunker Hill in the spring of 1775. It must have seemed long ago that his army had chased the English out of Boston and his crossing of the Delaware to beat the Hessians in Trenton.

​As he entered Valley Forge that Christmas Washington had no way to feed or adequately clothe his soldiers. They were alone. French assistance wouldn’t begin in earnest until the spring. That winter about 1,700 to 2,000 soldiers died from disease, possibly exacerbated by malnutrition.

Washington would spend most of the winter begging the U.S. Congress for just the minimum of what was needed.

Sound familiar?

​I imagine Ukraine’s soldiers can relate to the soldiers of America’s Continental Army that winter as they enter their third winter since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022; both cold and uncertain as America’s Congress dithers. President Zelensky can surely relate to George Washington. Both of these great men were/are reduced to beggary. And glad to do so to keep their armies going. Washington continued with a dire warning to Congress:

Valley Forge could have been the end of America’s quest for independence. Americans were weary of the war without even knowing about the severe privations their soldiers were experiencing as camp leaders did not want the English to know the state of America’s army.

America’s fight for independence lasted six years or so from the battles for Boston through Yorktown. If we infer a similar timeline for Ukraine beginning with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, we might expect a war that will go through 2027. Tragic, but not unexpected. If we want to look back even further we could compare the protests to the Stamp Act – including the Boston Tea Party and Massacre - beginning in 1763 with the Maidan Protests which began in 2013. To carry the timeline even further America’s final battles with its former empire were still decades to come with the War of 1812. Empires don't give up easily.

​Once again, Ukraine is holding a mirror to America’s own proud heritage as they fight on – no matter the sacrifices. Similarly, as they struggle on – with the help of key allies like the USA - they will obtain the fruits of their struggle just as we enjoy the fruits of America’s struggles at Valley Forge almost 250 years ago. 

Heading Back to Ukraine to Screen the Film For the Film’s Stars
​By Steve Richards
As we approach the two-year anniversary of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, I will be heading back to Bucha for the Ukraine premiere of Back to Bucha on the evening of Friday, January 5th, at the Hotel Park Viktoria. The hotel was featured in the original Trek to Bucha and we held its premiere in the hotel’s ballroom this past February 5th. We are also planning to livestream the event including Q&A with the film’s stars, allowing American audiences to join us that afternoon. Ukrainian captions for the 76-minute version are ready to go!

This trip back to Ukraine is part of the launch of the film’s winter impact campaign which begins with a weekend of screenings at the Lake Worth Playhouse starting with its Florida premiere this coming Friday the 15th.

Then off I go to Ukraine on Christmas Day in my ongoing efforts to help the Ukrainian cause, bringing a bit of support and reassurance from the USA that we are with them. I’m very much looking forward to revisiting old friends and seeing how they are doing during the holidays.

I’ll also begin shooting the next film in the series and continue to dig into one of Putin’s favorite Orwellian justifications for the war: de-satanization. This particularly dangerous disinformation theme targeting America’s faithful just goes deeper and deeper in its impact, counting among its prey some of those in the highest echelons of American leadership.

If you would like to support our winter campaign, please consider a donation by clicking here.

Thanks!