When I was in Ukraine filming for an upcoming documentary, I was surprised at how frequently my mind naturally tended to map Ukraine’s war experience onto Taiwan, where I have lived for the past 10 years.
There are obvious parallels of an imperial nuclear superpower asserting itself over a smaller non-nuclear state, but there are also small mundane things that would impact everyday life. When I saw Ukrainian elderly people filling jugs of water at a church in sub-zero temperatures and hauling it back to their homes which might not have electricity, I imagined the difficulty of a Taiwanese senior carrying that water up numerous flights of stairs in sweltering heat. It is a heartbreaking thought.
The following is a series of considerations that I think are important from my experiences in Ukraine, which has entered its third year of war. It is necessary to emphasize that Taiwan is not Ukraine and that no one can predict the future. That said, preparation can provide a fair amount of mental comfort and it could save someone’s life. The truth is, you can never fully prepare for something as devastating and as unpredictable as war; you can only try.
Lesson No. 1: Prepare for the unexpected.
Artillery does not discriminate. The best thing you can do to protect yourself in a conflict zone is to not be there and that means having a variety of evacuation plans that take into consideration Taiwan’s geography and population density, and staying clear of potential targets like key infrastructure and military installations. One of the most dangerous times in a conflict is when battle lines are in flux. One of Russia’s primary goals in the first days of the invasion was to secure Hostomel Airport, also known as Antonov International Airport, near Kyiv. As such, it was the scene of fierce fighting. Everything surrounding Hostomel was devastated as Ukrainian forces fought to repel elite Russian airborne forces. People look at airports as places to evacuate from, but military officials see them as targets to strike or places to seize. For those who had been able to evacuate city centers, the next major obstacle was traffic and fuel, with some taking more than 18 hours to reach the border. A significant number of evacuees were forced to abandon their vehicles and continue on foot after their vehicles broke down or ran out of gas.
Traffic in Taiwan on holidays is exceptional. Imagine if people were scared for their lives.
Lesson No. 2: Do not rely on technology.
During natural disasters and wars, cellphones can be unreliable or unavailable due to demand surges or targeting by the enemy. Communications and information control are major military objectives. Therefore, an evacuation plan dependent on cellphone communication is like not having one at all.
In my conversations with Ukrainian soldiers, I was surprised to hear that many used Google Maps in the early days of the war and followed directions that nearly got them killed as it led them down roads with enemy checkpoints. A good option to that would be to purchase detailed paper maps — preferably waterproof — in advance, with trail routes that can be marked up with evacuation routes and updated as you receive new information. Having predetermined meet-up points might seem excessive during peacetime, but you do not want to lose your precious time trying to track down family members if cellphone service is unavailable.
Lesson No. 3: Community-based civilian reporting and disaster response are crucial.
The civilian response to Russia’s invasion was multifaceted and just as heroic as the Ukrainian military’s. I stayed in a few cities that were routinely struck by missiles. One of the things I relied upon was the rapid dissemination of region-specific information through community-based Telegram groups.
While open online groups can easily be monitored by foreign agents to help them adjust fire accuracy during an attack, people eventually learned to take precautions by blurring images and withholding addresses to make locations harder to determine. In Lviv, a resident reportedly found suspicious ultraviolet markings on the roof of their apartment complex after seeing non-residents in the building and alerted a regional defense unit.
In some cases, Russia has used a rather gruesome technique known as a “double tap,” in which one strike hits a target such as a hotel, and minutes later another one follows to kill the first responders. Seconds can be a matter of life and death if you are trying to rescue someone trapped under rubble.
In all these cases, everyday Ukrainians bravely rose to the occasion.
If you plan to take an active part in humanitarian assistance or the war efforts, consider purchasing body armor such as a Kevlar helmet and vest in advance. Once hostilities begin, they would be hard to get and expensive.
Lesson No. 4: Warfare in the digital age can be waged on a cellphone.
A smartphone can be far more lethal than a rifle in the modern battle space. Cellphones automatically store location metadata in images, which can be used for targeting. The Ukrainian military knows this because it uses it. Cellphones also send signals to towers which can be intercepted. Foreign SIM cards can be identified. This technique was used by Russia in a very lethal strike outside of Lviv, in which a significant number of foreign fighters were killed during training.
That said, cellphones can also be used positively to rally international support by highlighting the human toll of the conflict or documenting war crimes for prosecution. Ukrainians have done an excellent job creating numerous viral memes that inspire the war effort and mock the enemy. The power of the technology most carry in their pocket should not be underestimated.
Policies should be thought through and established for the digital safety of communities.
Lesson No. 5: Mental health must be a priority.
Everyone knows that food, water and shelter are important for our basic needs, but many fail to consider how exhausting war can be on the nervous system. Hearing an explosion in the distance is one thing, but feeling an entire apartment shake or having a shock wave hit your body is something else. Everyone reacts to danger differently, but the constant stress of vigilance takes its toll involuntarily.
Having a supply of anti-anxiety medication can make a huge difference in the ability to manage the most stressful situations and allow for much-needed rest when the opportunity presents itself.
Children are especially vulnerable to combat stress and the mood set by those around them. In the subway system throughout Ukraine, artists led children to participate in singing, story time and puppet shows to keep their minds occupied and spirits up. It is both hopeful and heartbreaking.
Lesson No. 6: Resilience centers are beacons of hope and defiance.
Throughout Ukraine, one can see tents and sometimes above-ground bomb shelters which are called resilience centers. Inside one, you could find outlets to charge your cellphone and power banks, and food and water. They are usually staffed by humanitarian workers. Some are even sponsored by foreign entities. A group of Kazakh businesspeople established several “Invincibility Yurts” in a show of solidarity throughout Ukraine in the most affected communities. As winter approached in 2022, Russia undertook a relentless campaign to maximize civilian suffering and started striking Ukraine’s electrical grid. Those working tirelessly to maintain public utilities are heroes, but electrical outages are inevitable in a time of war. What these resilience centers provide is a community safety net for those who cannot afford to buy generators at two and half times the market price. A price cannot be put on a charged battery when waiting for a call from a loved one.
Lesson No. 7: Civilians are an essential component of the military effort.
The massive participation of civilians in the defense of Ukraine has been legendary, from volunteer defense forces providing lethal resistance outside Kyiv to churches providing shelter to evacuees and crafting camouflage netting during the daytime. Holding a gun is not a requirement to contribute to the fight for freedom. Given Taiwan’s geopolitical situation, it is reasonable for individuals to start thinking seriously about ways to be proactively involved if the “status quo” is broken. A government consumed by war would not be able to adequately care for all the needs of its population. Civilians should play a role. The question is how best to make them effective.
Lesson No. 8: Learn from Ukraine to benefit from firsthand experience.
Ukraine is fighting for its existence because Russia denies its legitimacy and Taiwan might soon be in a very similar situation. The nation should embrace Ukraine deeply and learn from it. Individuals should reach out to Ukrainian non-profits that have endured the test of time and see what works and what does not. Many of the non-profits I visited did not exist a year later. It is important to build relationships and learn from direct experience. This takes time and Ukraine needs help. Given the role of drones in the current war, it is a perfect opportunity for Taiwan’s tech sector to innovate and get invaluable feedback. There are many opportunities to get involved, but the most important thing is to take action.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine provides sobering lessons for Taiwan to assess its preparedness, particularly as China ramps up its pressure. While differences exist between the two situations, Ukraine’s experience highlights the importance of civilians in the war effort. Making practical preparations, such as planning evacuations, accumulating supplies and coordinating community aid efforts, can be lifesaving. However, something equally vital is the mental perspective and collective sense of purpose that such preparedness encourages.
Ukraine has demonstrated that an informed, engaged populace is not passive, but rather an active deterrent against aggression. By learning from Ukraine’s triumphs and tragedies, Taiwan can send the message that its people stand ready to do whatever it takes to maintain their hard-won freedoms.
Bryan D. Hopkins is an independent filmmaker who gained recognition for his acclaimed documentary Dirty Energy, addressing the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. He recently left Ukraine after an eight-month stint covering the ongoing conflict.
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