War nightmares.
Editor’s Note:
While the Russians continue to terrorize Ukrainians with hundreds of drones at night, we continue working.
Sleep is crucial for the body's recovery, so we are using funds to provide each member of The Counteroffensive team with a sleeping bag, folding cot, earplugs, and eye mask. It allows them to get some rest amid the night attacks in Kyiv.
Support us now if you agree with our approach.
At first, I hear a piercing whistle. The sound of a missile.
I know I should get out of the way, but I don’t have time to fall to the ground. Suddenly, my eyes burn from a blinding, intense red flash.
I’m instantly knocked off my feet, pierced by dozens of fragments. My body is twisted into an unnatural pose, my head splits open from the thunderous explosion – and then everything is filled with absolute darkness.
This is the end.
That’s when I wake up, a recurring dream that takes different shapes. Usually, a shrill vibrating alert blares in my ears from my phone: ballistic missiles are heading toward Kyiv.
I only died in my dream.
Now I have to live with the real war.
Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, Ukrainians live under constant stress and danger – including in one’s most vulnerable state: sleep. The feeling is made worse by sleepless nights caused by the massive attacks that have escalated sharply since May this year.
The rise of nightmares reveals that the war has left a profound collective trauma.
The consequences of this war will likely take years to overcome, which presents a significant challenge to Ukraine's full recovery, and creates long-term implications for the health of the entire nation.
A study in 2023 found that over 70 percent of Ukrainians reported having nightmares about the war, and 30 percent had dreamed of their own death.
I ended up ticking both boxes.
Bingo.
After the paywall:
What nightmare scenarios are most commonly repeated among soldiers, and how do they differ from civilians' dreams?
What do the most common nightmare scenarios mean?
Why did Mariana start dreaming about tanks and missile strikes as early as 2021?
When will Ukrainians stop dreaming about war?