Polling shows increasing numbers of Ukrainians are unwilling to join the country’s faltering military effort and oppose attempts to draft more fighters.
The recent killing of two Polish citizens by missiles that landed in a Polish village near the Ukrainian border brought yet another sleepless night to residents across the country. For nine months, the war in Ukraine has been affecting the lives of Poles, as nearly 8 million Ukrainians have crossed the border since February 24 seeking and finding refuge in multiple Polish cities in Europe’s largest wartime refugee displacement since World War Two.
Ukrainian politicians and political parties have been united in their common mission to defeat Russia and preserve Ukraine’s democracy, independence and sovereignty since the full-scale invasion. This message of unity remains at the forefront as Ukraine enters the ninth month of war. Throughout this period, Ukrainian political parties Batkivschyna, European Solidarity, and Servant of the People have continued to invest in developing and maintaining strong internal party infrastructures and prioritizing inclusion, especially for women and youth.
Since 2019, the Disinformation Coordination Hub a platform that unites more than 20 Ukrainian organizations and initiatives has worked together to fact-check, counter disinformation, improve media literacy, and conduct strategic communications. The Hub has persevered with its work following the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine in February and has continued to facilitate coordination and information exchange among its members, as well as contributing to a “one-voice” policy for countering Russian information attacks.
Oleksandra Shchukina is the head of Smart Media, an NDI-supported civil society organization that helps Ukraine’s citizens understand key reforms. She was raised in a family with civic and patriotic values, values which have given her strength during Russia’s war against Ukraine. “I am inspired by how caring our people are, by their desire to help others. My own patriotism and national identity come from my own family,” Oleksandra says. Her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents devoted their careers to civic life in Kharkiv, working as teachers, professors, and priests.