Zarichansky: Ukrainians’ new folk wisdom is to prepare power banks in summer

In an opinion piece, Oleksiy Zarichansky reflects on how Ukrainian society has adapted to wartime life. He notes that after four and a half years of full-scale hostilities, Ukrainians now have a clear sense of what is needed on a daily basis in order to hold up and stay alive.

At a time when warm days are coming to an end and frosts, rains and bad weather lie ahead, that list is becoming even more relevant. People are trying to get ready for the changing seasons in advance, but this time they also have to factor in Russia’s ongoing terror against peaceful residents.

This situation means that preparing for the cold season is no longer just about routine concern for heat and electricity. It also involves being ready for the possibility that key infrastructure may be damaged or destroyed by deliberate attacks. Zarichansky stresses that natural seasonal shifts are inevitable, while the suffering caused by human action is an inhuman and artificial additional burden.

The author’s reference to the folk saying “prepare a power bank in summer” captures the new everyday wisdom that has emerged in Ukraine. Small but practical solutions may prove crucial when power or heating disappears in winter. This experience is born not of abundance, but of the constant need to respond to threats coming from Russia.

Although the article gives just one example, the wider picture is clear: Ukrainian society has learned to plan ahead. The cold period has always been challenging, but now it arrives together with permanent insecurity. That is what gives everyday decisions a new meaning.