Resistance, staring at challenges…
Courage in one door closing,
A turn of the calendar’s pages…
Resolve in the face of terror, evil,
Determination, disregarding betrayal,
Unified at all costs, rising as one…
A people, a nation together,
Despite everything, standing,
Knowing what they have faced,
Standing resilient because they must…
Clear-eyed about terror, this genocide…
Despite everything standing strong,
Determined to persevere, to achieve…
Hope in the struggle, the maelstrom,
Never backing down, defiant, resourceful…
Life continues always, together,
Standing, kneeling as one people,
United within their territory, their nation,
Until victory is won for their people…
Until a just peace rises like the sun...
---------------
Edited January 5, 2026
Despite Everything – v2
December 30, 2025 Instagram post by Oleksandra Matviichuk
https://www.instagram.com/p/DS7HP6aDOC3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
· “@theukrainians proposed naming a word of the year, as leading dictionaries around the world do. Our word of 2025 is ‘despite everything’. It is about character.
Another year of a genocidal war in Europe, launched by Russia to destroy us, is coming to an end. Any illusions that the civilized world would be outraged by such injustice and decisively stop Putin’s imperial ambitions have faded.
Ukraine has found itself at the epicenter of events that will shape a new international order. And despite everything, people in Ukraine continue to fight for even the slightest chance — for themselves and their children — to have the freedom to live without fear of violence and to have a long-term perspective,” — @avalaina_ua head of the @center_for_civil_liberties.
«@theukrainians запронували назвати слово року як це роблять провідні словники світу. Наше слово 2025 року – це «всупереч». І воно про характер.
Закінчується черговий рік геноцидальної війни в Європі, яку розпочала Росія для нашого знищення. Якщо у когось й були ілюзії, що цивілізований світ обуриться такою несправедливістю та рішуче зупинить імперські амбіції Путіна, то вони поблякли.
Україні випало бути в епіцентрі подій, які визначать новий міжнародний порядок. І всупереч усьому люди в Україні продовжують боротися за найменший шанс для себе та своїх дітей мати свободу жити без страху насильства та мати довгу перспективу на майбутнє», — @avalaina_ua голова @center_for_civil_liberties.
Edited January 5, 2026
A different year ended – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-different-year-ended-v2.html
Inspired by post of Christina Kydrava, December 31, 2025,
https://www.instagram.com/stories/kydrava_/3799867793609373927/
reposting her post of December 31, 2024
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEQD199tBfb/
“There will be no results, only conclusions: the struggle continues.”
I replied: “Another year ending but different than last December 31. This year ending was like 1942/1943 in the United States, where military production and attacks on Japanese positions began after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The parallels aren't perfect, but Ukraine is now producing more of its own weapons and taking the fight to Russia. 2026 will be decisive for Ukraine’s victory.”
Edited December 27, 2025
Courage to Step Outside – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/12/courage-to-step-outside-v3.html
Images and videos of Christmas celebrations and parades
In Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine and
Erica Kabaeva post on Instagram November 4, 2025
All of my poems, photographs, and videos are copyrighted by Raymond A.
Foss, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010,
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023,
2024, 2025, and 2026. All rights are reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss (raymondafoss@gmail.com) for
usage. See my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com
Poetry, fear, courage, life, Ukraine, war, Christmas,
Kyiv, culture, joy, resolve, New Year, Oleksandra Matviichuk, Christina
Kydrava,
#poetry #fear #courage #life #Ukraine #war #Christmas
#Kyiv #culture #joy #resolve #NewYear #OleksandraMatviichuk #ChristinaKydrava
Edited January 5, 2026
Despite Everything – v2
https://www.instagram.com/p/DS7HP6aDOC3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
· “@theukrainians proposed naming a word of the year, as leading dictionaries around the world do. Our word of 2025 is ‘despite everything’. It is about character.
Another year of a genocidal war in Europe, launched by Russia to destroy us, is coming to an end. Any illusions that the civilized world would be outraged by such injustice and decisively stop Putin’s imperial ambitions have faded.
Ukraine has found itself at the epicenter of events that will shape a new international order. And despite everything, people in Ukraine continue to fight for even the slightest chance — for themselves and their children — to have the freedom to live without fear of violence and to have a long-term perspective,” — @avalaina_ua head of the @center_for_civil_liberties.
«@theukrainians запронували назвати слово року як це роблять провідні словники світу. Наше слово 2025 року – це «всупереч». І воно про характер.
Закінчується черговий рік геноцидальної війни в Європі, яку розпочала Росія для нашого знищення. Якщо у когось й були ілюзії, що цивілізований світ обуриться такою несправедливістю та рішуче зупинить імперські амбіції Путіна, то вони поблякли.
Україні випало бути в епіцентрі подій, які визначать новий міжнародний порядок. І всупереч усьому люди в Україні продовжують боротися за найменший шанс для себе та своїх дітей мати свободу жити без страху насильства та мати довгу перспективу на майбутнє», — @avalaina_ua голова @center_for_civil_liberties.
Edited January 5, 2026
A different year ended – v2
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2026/01/a-different-year-ended-v2.html
Inspired by post of Christina Kydrava, December 31, 2025,
https://www.instagram.com/stories/kydrava_/3799867793609373927/
reposting her post of December 31, 2024
https://www.instagram.com/p/DEQD199tBfb/
“There will be no results, only conclusions: the struggle continues.”
I replied: “Another year ending but different than last December 31. This year ending was like 1942/1943 in the United States, where military production and attacks on Japanese positions began after the attack on Pearl Harbor. The parallels aren't perfect, but Ukraine is now producing more of its own weapons and taking the fight to Russia. 2026 will be decisive for Ukraine’s victory.”
Edited December 27, 2025
Courage to Step Outside – v3
https://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2025/12/courage-to-step-outside-v3.html
Images and videos of Christmas celebrations and parades
In Kyiv and other cities of Ukraine and
Erica Kabaeva post on Instagram November 4, 2025
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