In Lviv, I remembered what Ukrainian stubbornness is. Russia has no chance
I arrived in Lviv, a Ukrainian city with a very beautiful Western architecture, founded by the Ukrainian king Danyło in 1256 and named after his son Lion. I like to irritate my Polish friends, reminding them that Lviv is a year older than the Pearl of Poland, Krakow.
Lviv is distinguished not only by old architecture, but also The strong will of its inhabitants. I call it Ukrainian stubbornness.
I remembered about this strong will on the first day when I visited the bank and the store where I was buying bulbs. At the bank I asked the cashier to shout because I would hear it. She refused reminding me that in Lviv he is not screaming at clients. Because I am as stubborn as her, I went to the next cashier.
In the store, in turn, the young man offered various types of ordinary and economical bulbs. I asked him what the difference was, and he replied that the economic ones work much longer. I just said, “I don't know.” He replied: “But I know.”
I love these people, although they often irritate me. I probably irritate them. This is such an attitude and compatible, mutual irritation among Ukrainians allowed them to overcome the centuries of great difficulties that continue to this day.
“Wait until you see their neighbors”
There is such a story about God and the creation of various nations and the division of lands. God consulted with the angel and suggested that he would create people and earth. Women were to be extremely beautiful and the men were very strong. The earth would be very fertile, so that it is enough to spit to grow a tree. The angel noticed that this creation of such a country would be unfair to others. God replied: “Wait until you see their neighbors”. And so, whether we like it or not, Russia is a neighbor of Ukraine.
Lviv is considered a source of openness and strong will of Ukraine. I am not objective when it comes to Ukrainians, but it should be emphasized that from time to time I see their mistakes.
My bank in Ukraine is a state bank. There is no reason for the service to be nice. I rarely see a smiling cashier. And the worst are managers. They are incompetent and unexpected, and in most they are women. The difference in America is that banking personnel is incompetent but friendly.
Banking in Ukraine is problematic. President Zelanski fulfills his promise to fight corruption, but in connection with the war and the demand of Ukraine for money, there are large conflicts between money transfers for legal purposes and money laundering. Legal customers must show great patience.
My description of Lviv and its inhabitants should not diminish the importance of other parts of Ukraine. Simply put, eastern Ukraine was under Russian dominance for over three hundred years. Russia has always been authoritarian and brutal. Western Ukraine was under rule Polish, then Austrian, then Polish again, and in the Soviet end From World War II. Polish governments were mild compared to Russian, and Austria was much milder than Poland.
Lviv in 1930
In Lviv I met with my liaison officer with Kharkov, a volunteer who stayed in the west, visiting his sick mother. We discussed the most urgent needs, in particular drones and their capture devices, including the most intentional orders and delivery. I was supposed to go to Kharkov, but our meeting saved this trouble.
Stubbornness and faith
When I left the apartment on Friday at 9 am, I heard a message that apparently resounded throughout Lviv, encouraging the inhabitants of Lviv to celebrate the memory of the characters who gave their lives on behalf of Ukraine. She hit me The discipline with which both vehicles and pedestrians stopped to celebrate the memory of the characters.
It was a short moment, but very inspiring. I consciously noticed that this nation would survive, as it has lasted over the last 375 years. It will survive, because despite the turmoil, tragedy and attempts to destroy it, as the Russians say, “to wipe the Ukrainians from the surface of the earth”, the Ukrainians remain unwavering and seem invincible. I am sure that God is on our side, even though he is still testing us.
Traditionally, we are a deeply religious nation, sometimes to the extent that we accept the teaching of our different churches like opium. We manifest our faith, kneeling and kissing the earth. It's just too much for me. But this form of religious adoration continues.
It is worth recalling that in the times of Soviet atheism The only nationality that remained disobedient were Ukrainians. The Soviets gave up and founded their own version of the church. Ukrainians accepted her absurd, of which even after gaining independence was used by the imposed Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate.
As you can see, Ukrainians must pray. They differ from each other, but they are stubborn, believe in God and Ukraine. Russia has no chance.
