This Tuesday, February 24, 2026 marks the fourth anniversary of Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine. On this occasion, France 24 interviewed four young Ukrainians about their perception of their future and that of their country.

Published on: 02/23/2026 - 1:12 p.m. Modified on: 02/23/2026 - 1:25 p.m.

To display this YouTube content, it is necessary to authorize audience measurement and advertising cookies.

An extension in your browser appears to be blocking the loading of the video player. To be able to watch this content, you must disable or uninstall it.

Their names are Oleksandr, Sofiia, Bohdan or Angelina, they are between 18 and 28 years old, and they are Ukrainians, living in Ukraine. On February 24, 2022, with Russia's large-scale invasion of Ukraine, their lives were turned upside down. And with it, their plans and dreams for the future.

“Everything changed in the first days of the war,” remembers Angelina, 26. This political science student saw her brother leave to defend Mariupol. Informed of his death, then, in reality, of his capture by Russia, she has not heard from him for four years. “I’m not even sure if he’s still alive,” she confides, her voice trembling. She, who dreamed of being surrounded by "a big family", therefore takes care of her nephew, Kyrylas, now 11 years old.

Oleksandr lived in Izmaïl, in the Odessa region. This 28-year-old photographer was developing his own clothing brand when the war broke out. While he dreamed of professional "success", of "starting a family" and "building [his] own house", he is now involved in the Ukrainian armed forces.

Report Ukraine: 24 hours in Kharkiv, where life goes on despite the war

For his part, Bohdan can be satisfied. He who hoped to work in tech is today, at 24, a product manager in this field – the only one “which allows you to earn a decent living in Ukraine currently”, according to the statement. “Rather standard” objectives for this resident of kyiv, who did not imagine the events of February 24, 2022 in Ukraine, where “nothing really seems to change”.

Sofiia, the youngest of the group, is 18 years old. A student in kyiv, coming from Ternopil, in western Ukraine, she was predestined to become a lawyer in her country. But the war brought about a change of direction for her. “Today, I'm thinking of becoming a lawyer in international law. I want to draw more attention to the situation in Ukraine, to Russia's crimes against Ukraine,” she says with confidence.

“Keep moving forward”

Because the war in Ukraine aroused a strong feeling of commitment among these young people. Angelina introduces herself as a Crimean Tatar. An identity claimed by the one who wishes to become a human rights lawyer for this minority. “My family has been deported twice: my brother is currently in Siberia, and my grandmother, 65 years ago, was also in Siberia,” she says, moved, saying she wants to “break this circle”.

Bohdan, who also studies cinema, takes an artistic look at the situation. “All these fears, all these difficult moments, create these unique experiences from which we can create beautiful works,” he judges. A statement that particularly resonates with his own future: at 25, he will be mobilized. “I’m afraid of dying,” he says with a nervous laugh. The young man wants to be optimistic, but remains realistic: "Sometimes, I ask myself: 'If I go to the battlefield, will that bring material to my experience?' But it’s still really scary.”

Interview “Culture strikes back!” : the invitation from author Andrei Kurkov to support Ukraine

Oleksandr keeps his eyes fixed on the future and the end of the war. “It was precisely my dreams and my goals that motivated me, that gave me the energy and the faith to continue moving forward,” he assures, still holding his cat, the mascot of his TikTok account.

One thing is certain: none of them sees relations with Russia returning to normal. “It’s dangerous for Ukraine,” says Bohdan. “I see a lot of people being more friendly towards Russia, as if it was not an aggressor,” adds Sofiia, who “does not understand” this choice. She dreams of an “absolutely independent” Ukraine in which “Ukrainian identity” would finally be understood and claimed. “Our relationship with Russia will never be the same again,” Oleksandr finally judges, because “Russia has done us too much harm.”

“We want to live now”

Still, everyone imagines the future in a positive light, and plans to stay in Ukraine. “I love my country, and I would really like to live there, work there and build my future there,” like the rest of Ukrainian youth “used to this situation,” Sofiia lists. The same goes for Bohdan: “my country is not perfect, the Ukrainians are not perfect, but I love them,” he explains.

“Ukrainians are a very optimistic people. We have always believed – and we will continue to believe – that only a bright future awaits us,” adds Oleksandr. If the soldier hopes that the war will be over "within a year", Bohdan is more reserved. Peace within a year is improbable, he believes. He wants to be pragmatic: “within ten years”, perhaps. And at the cost of part of Ukrainian territory, because it seems “implausible” to recover the conquered lands. But he sees a Ukraine "more united" by the experience of war. “When the war started, it was like a big explosion of empathy,” he remembers. "People started to show interest in others. I hope we keep that empathy."

A future in which youth will play a leading role. “Adolescents are their only future that we have, because they are more sensitive, and sometimes take the situation more seriously” than their elders, analyzes Sofiia. The youngest are “more politically engaged” and “always have an opinion on everything, which is positive,” she smiles.

Because the reconstruction of Ukraine, far from being only a material matter, is also a human problem. “I see young people who spend their nights packing humanitarian aid, then who go to university in the morning,” says Angelina. “I really believe that we can rebuild our country, especially thanks to the younger generation. Not just the buildings, but also the institutions and our faith in the future,” she says. And to conclude: "We don't expect anything. We want to live now."

Keywords associated with the article

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.