This is one anniversary that won’t be greeted by smiles.

February 24 will mark one year since Russia invaded Ukraine, uprooting thousands of lives, sending chills down the spines of people all around the world, and dominating news cycles across the globe.

It’s been a brutal battle, prayers in moments when death seemed menacingly near, families being separated, and chaos, as bombs crashed into the terrain, sending up smoke and screams of terror.

Ukrainian journalist and active army reservist Sergey Velinchanskiy has been on the ground since day one. Still not being able to see his mother who had to flee the war-torn country, and hoping to one day be relieved of duties and get the opportunity to visit Jamaica and relax, are among the things keeping him going.

“Some of my family is gone in different countries. Like my mother, she’s still in another country. I have not seen her for a year now. It’s difficult. We have a full-scale war, with thousands of people being killed and hundreds of cities and villages destroyed. I’m happy that she’s safe. I’m in touch with her, thankfully, with the Internet and everything. I would say just the fact that she’s safe, I’m happy about this,” Velinchanskiy said in an exclusive follow-up interview with the Jamaica Observer.

“The rest? Well, we just have to move on and keep our fight. My son is here in town in Ukraine, so I get to see him. I saw him just this Saturday. He’s in Ukraine but not close to me, of course. I hope someday I can visit Jamaica and enjoy the sunshine and the beaches and the Reggae music. I just want to enjoy some sunshine on the beach,” Velinchanskiy continued.

On February 11, Velinchanskiy received a badge of honour “for courage, patriotism and high civic position” from the city of Kyiv.

“I serve the Ukrainian people,” he declared with great pride.

“It was a surprise. It’s difficult to expect things like this. You just do your job and then something happens like this. It’s inspiring.”

As at June 18, 2022, the Office of United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights said 4,509 Ukrainian civilians had been killed in the conflict. Eight months later, the death toll rose to 7,199. Some 11,756 people have been wounded.

United Nations monitors in Ukraine said those killed included 2,784 men, 1,875 women and another 1,939 adults whose gender was unknown. Those known to have died included 398 children, the monitors reported.

In July 2022, Velinchanskiy sent a heartfelt apology to Jamaican students who were in Ukraine at the time of the attack, whom he advised not to worry, mere days prior.

He said at the time, the country was uncertain the situation would escalate to this scale and noted that since the attack, it has been challenging. A year later, he said, it hasn’t become any easier.

“It is very difficult. We’re still far away from being easy. And the fights right now, the combat; they’re very intense. Very. There are a lot of casualties. A lot of people get killed. Cities are being destroyed. Villages are wiped out. It’s still hell,” Velinchanskiy told the Sunday Observer.

And some of the losses have hit close to home.

“I lost my first company commander in October. Unfortunately, we have losses and it is tough. So it is the same level of caution, because though we have liberated a lot of territories, there is still a lot to fight for. And they’re sending rockets all over our country. So it is not safe anywhere. Even today [Monday], there was another destroyed building.

“It is far away from the frontline. It is a peaceful city. But they sent the ballistic rockets… missiles which fly 500, 700, 1,000 kilometres away. And they can hit anywhere. So, one day they may send 70 missiles and we may bring down 60, but 10 will still be on target.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s trip to meet with European world leaders on Thursday, February 9, included deeply emotional appeals and careful statesmanship.

Zelensky campaigned for his nation’s priorities, including securing more military firepower from allies and Ukraine’s long-sought accession to the European Union.

During an address to the European Parliament in Brussels, Zelensky said his country and the EU share the same values, and that the “European standard of life” and the “European rules of life” are “when the law rules”.

Velinchanskiy said being surrounded by death, fear and sorrow has been a tiring and mentally exhausting fight.

“I am tired, but I do try to balance and find ways to rest. And right now, I’m moving from my battalion to the special psychological centre for the Territorial Defence Forces of Ukraine. So now, I’m going to be doing a lot of training and a lot of psychological work. So this is a good transition for me, moving from the trenches, and from combat to becoming an officer of psychological support for all of the brigades and battalions. And so, this is a good switch,” he told the Sunday Observer.