Seeing the Sacars in Maidan

A place where heroes and martyrs from all countries are honored.

Kyiv wears the scars of the 108 civilians killed during the protests against the authoritarian regime of President Viktor Yanukovych and his extremely corrupt political system. 13 government security forces lost their lives as well. To this day, there is no decisive ruling on what took place in Maidan; however, it’s a place very, very far from being forgotten... It was the flash point for all-out, unjust war, which has taken the lives of over a million people. It’s a place where heroes and martyrs from all countries are honored.

The conflict that took place in this square is extremely complex to understand for this American; however, for the Ukrainians I met, Independence Square is sacred ground - it was their - many would say, ‘our’ - ‘Revolution of Dignity.’

It’s a heavy lift to understand why good men would simply fire on innocent people of their own. It’s easy to make a judgment when you weren’t there, easy to point a finger or try to sound smart over social media. Apparently, entire regional units of police supported the protesters, and many Berkut officers defected, joining their countrymen in protest. Utter confusion and no way for the media to get it right, let alone far-removed westerners to fuel their uniquely western narrative on.

One thing was for certain: it was an uprising that shook the balance of global power, much more than the overwhelming majority of the world realizes.

It does make me wonder - if those who yell for revolution, should also prepare for all-out war.

should also prepare for all-out war.