Opinion
Coming of age during war, where mistakes can cost a life
Editor's note: This essay was originally published in the Kyiv Independent's first-ever print edition, titled "The Power Within," in July 2025. You can order a copy in our e-store. Soldiers featured in this story are identified by first names only due to security reasons. In the fall of 2023, I remember sitting in a circle with Ukrainian soldiers whom I had come to call friends. It was getting chilly outside, but the leftover coals from the barbecue and the constant laughter kept us warm. We
