Introduction

Kremlin's main propaganda outlet led the news that night with fireworks. It was February 23, defender of the Fatherland Day, a public holiday. For weeks, everybody had been speculating about when and if the invasion of Ukraine might start. But at this moment, I knew for sure that the war was hours away. At 1.30am, I messaged my editing in London: "I'm going to get a few hours' sleep before it all breaks out" A few hours later, Volody Mirzielenski announced the start of his special military operation. The invasion of Ukraine had begun.