Troops, missiles, cyber attacks, and aircrafts invade Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared war on Feb. 21. All across Ukraine, citizens are evacuating to nearby countries with the hope of avoiding the destruction that has broken out. Men between the ages of 18 and 60 are required to say goodbye to their families, having to stay and fight. More than 350 civilians have died, and the number of casualties continues to increase. 

“It is scary to think that it has not even been a month into the war, and there are so many people dying. I hope that Ukraine can make it out with as few lost lives as possible,” Sophia Barlowe, junior, said.

Putin’s goal is to successfully invade Ukraine and take control of the government, making his number one target Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky; however, his efforts have proven to be more difficult than expected. Zelenksky is currently on the front lines, risking his life alongside his people instead of taking America’s offer to leave for safety. 11,000 civilians have joined the Ukrainian military, including women, teenagers, and even elderly, to protect their home. 

“It is really amazing hearing about so many different people getting together to fight in [the] war. It makes me have a lot of hope for Ukraine,” Hayden Acker, freshman, said.

Nations across the world are doing what they can to help Ukraine. Neighboring countries have welcomed the refugees with housing, food, and protection. The United States has committed 350 million dollars in military assistance to Ukraine, and The North Altantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has sent additional ships and fighter jets. Unfortunately, many are apprehensive about sending their own troops to Ukraine due to Putin’s recent threat to any country who acts against Russia. 

“Putin’s threat is pretty concerning, [but] it is not fair to Ukraine not to have any help when Russia’s military is so big,” Theo Paden, senior, said.

Putin anticipated a quick downfall of Ukraine, but the country has met Russia with resistance. The media has documented many monumental moments of what will soon be an important point of history, and people from every continent have protested, sent letters, and voiced their support to Ukraine. The war is not over yet, but citizens of Ukraine are proving to be strong.