Three years of war behind us: how humor helped Ukrainians through the darkest times.

It has been three years since the onset of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine. Contrary to predictions, the "second army in the world" has failed to break the spirit of Ukrainians, largely due to their ability to find humor even in the darkest times.

However, over these three years, the subjects of jokes have changed significantly. "Telegraph" decided to remind us of what citizens of our country have been joking about.

2022

The beginning of the Russian invasion sparked a widespread response in the Ukrainian segment of the internet. The Armed Forces of Ukraine not only prevented the occupiers from capturing "Kyiv in three days" but also conducted successful counterattacks, regaining significant territories during operations in the Kharkiv and Kherson regions.

In some places, the retreat of Russian forces was so rapid that ordinary residents had time to pick up abandoned military equipment from the streets. The very tractor that tows away the abandoned Russian BMP will long stand as a symbol of Ukrainian ingenuity and Russian incompetence.

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Speaking of Russian incompetence, a significant contribution to the destruction of the myth of a modern army in Russia was their tendency to keep sending soldiers to certain doom in the same places. At that time, the invaders had not yet resorted to "meat assaults," so their behavior near the settlement of Chornobayivka (Kherson region) was perplexing.

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In rear cities at the beginning of the war, Russians tried to sow panic with the theme of sabotage and reconnaissance groups (does anyone remember the mysterious crosses on the roads?), prompting Ukrainians to check all suspicious individuals with a "code word."

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Another significant topic became the temporary loss of Snake Island, as well as the story of the heroism of the local garrison, which was not afraid of the infamous cruiser "Moskva."

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By the way, at that time, the cruiser had little time left to sail. By April 2022, it was transferred to the ranks of the Russian submarine fleet.

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Another Ukrainian phenomenon was active volunteering, which provided the army with a vast array of useful items. Notably, television host and actor Serhiy Prytula stood out in this regard, leading efforts to raise significant funds for the purchase of military equipment such as Bayraktar drones and even the ICEYE satellite.

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2023

By the end of 2022, it became clear to most Ukrainians that the war would last a long time, leading to memes of that year reflecting the difficult circumstances. For instance, during this time, the first mass shelling of the Ukrainian energy system occurred, resulting in widespread blackouts and power outage schedules. Additionally, Russians received "Shahed" drones from Iran, which have since been seen in the skies over Ukraine almost every night.

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It's worth noting that Ukrainians quickly realized that this game could be played by both sides, leading to even more memes about the weaknesses of Russian air defense. For example, they had to place the "Pantsir" air defense system on the roof of the Ministry of Defense.

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Gradually, the understanding that the war was not going according to plan began to seep into the minds of some Russians, culminating in the summer of 2023 when the leader of the Wagner Private Military Company decided to stage a march on Moscow and even managed to capture Rostov.

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During this period, Russia's nuclear rhetoric intensified significantly, spawning a new wave of memes in Ukraine about the "orgy on Shchekavitsa."

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Spoiler: it never happened.

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2024

As Ukraine entered 2024, the understanding grew that it was becoming harder to surprise them. By this time, Ukraine had begun to gradually enhance its capabilities and was increasingly launching long-range strikes. However, some moments still managed to astonish. For instance, the transfer of F-16s.

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Moreover, Ukraine demonstrated that it could not only defend but also carry out lightning strikes against weak points in Russian defenses. An example of this was the operation in Kursk.

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As previously reported, 2025 also provided Ukrainians with reasons for jokes. However, this was related to the actions of the new U.S. administration and President Donald Trump.