A simple 4-note motif, Carol of the Bells is one of the most iconic sounds of the Christmas season. But did you know it was born in Ukraine, with roots in ancient times? How did it reach the world and help Ukraine fight for independence?
The Kyiv Independent's journalists Francis Farrell and Olena Zashko followed a group of Ukrainian military medics as they journeyed from the heat of battle in war-torn Ukraine to the serene forests of Sweden for a short mental health retreat.