‘UKRAINE:2022!' for brass band I. Declaration of War II. Hymn for the Children and Women of Bucha III. Resistance IV. Hope for the Future ‘On the 24th of February 2022, the geopolitical landscape as we knew it changed, when the Russian Federation invaded Ukraine in a Declaration of War, and what was masked by the Kremlin as a ‘special military operation’. Now regarded to be the most significant escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War of 2014 since the annexation of Crimea, millions of Ukrainians fled the country and many millions were displaced, the after-effects of the conflict sent shockwaves through the world – leading to a global food crisis, humanitarian crisis and a refugee crisis. As the conflict began to ripple through Ukraine, missiles and airstrikes would cause destruction across the country including its capital, Kiev, and ground invasions would follow from multiple directions. With some of the most atrocious acts of bloodshed in Mariupol, and Bucha, many women and children would lose their lives. Hymn for the Children and Women of Bucha takes us to the early moments of the war where families were ripped apart and many innocent lives were lost. As all men aged 18-60 would be signalled into military service through a call for martial law by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Resistance reminds us of the relentless tenacity of the Ukrainian people in standing up for what they believed was right, for their country, their Motherland, and for their people. As the combat rages on, numerous examples of Ukrainian inner strength and resistance can be found every day, as the pressure of Russian troops continues to bombard the lives and welfare of the Ukrainian people. The piece ends with Hope for the Future, and with it, a beacon of hope that we will one day see a future where the bloodshed will end, where fallen land is liberated, and where peace can return once more to the people of Ukraine. In her poem ‘Spring in War-Time’ from 1917, Sara Teasdale’s words ring true again in this war, when she writes, The sun turns north, the days grow long, Later the evening star grows bright— How can the daylight linger on. For men to fight. Still fight? In this, we hope. That the conflict, soon, one day will end. And normality can return for the people of Ukraine. - Joe Galuszka, 2022

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