Next time someone asks you this question, smile and say, “It depends on your timeline.” Then explain that the official answer is February 24, 2026—but the real answer is February 20, 2014, or maybe even earlier. (You’ll sound like a genius, I promise.)
And for the record? Sarah felt much better after I told her this. She said, “Oh, so it’s like a movie that started with a slow-burn drama and then exploded into an action blockbuster.” Exactly, Sarah. Exactly.
The war isn’t a single moment. It’s a stubborn, tragic timeline that started with a decision in Moscow, a revolution in Kyiv, and a whole lot of silence from the rest of us. When did it start? When we stopped looking.
