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Ukrainians under occupation don't have a real choice whether to stay or to leave

Some names have been changed to protect the identities of those featured in the story As a war crimes researcher at the Reckoning Project, my job was to listen to Ukrainians who had fled the occupation. What they had to say reshaped how I understand life in Russian-occupied territories. Simplistic outside judgments about people living under occupation often feel deeply unfair to Ukrainians who escaped it. From a safe distance, it is easy to say, "Why didn't they stay and resist?" or "Why didn'

A man stands on the roof of a house damaged during an overnight Russian attack in Kherson, Ukraine, on October 30, 2023.

About Cossacks

Cossacks were semi-nomadic military groups that emerged in the 15th century across the steppes of what is now Ukraine. The Cossack Hetmanate existed as an independent state from 1648 to 1764, before Russian imperial authorities abolished Cossack autonomy and suppressed their cultural identity. Modern Ukraine recognizes Cossack heritage as a foundational element of national identity and resistance against foreign domination.

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