- January 25, 2026
- 1:24 pm
- World News
On January 25, 2026, The Jerusalem Post published an article that recorded an important shift in Ukrainian public rhetoric. The article titled “We are here to live” describes how Ukraine’s military propaganda is gradually moving away from images of apocalypse and total destruction — towards the theme of life, family, and the future.
Back in early 2024, the streets of Ukrainian cities were filled with campaign posters with extremely harsh visual metaphors. Ukrainian soldiers faced “orcs” and “zombies” in Russian military uniforms — a direct reference to Tolkien’s mythology, where orcs emerge from Mordor, destroying everything around. This language remained understandable and precise: the enemy is not just an army, but a faceless evil.
Such posters have not disappeared completely. But, as The Jerusalem Post notes, in many regions they have receded into the background. Their place has been taken by a new campaign built on a fundamentally different message.
“We are here to live”
On billboards — no monsters and no symbols of hatred. Ukrainian soldiers hold children on their shoulders, lift infants above their heads, embrace mothers and elderly relatives. The slogan is extremely simple: “We are here to live.”
The campaign was launched by the Third Army Corps of Ukraine back in August, but it has now become a noticeable part of the urban space. It is not an advertisement for peace and not a renunciation of resistance. It is an attempt to capture a different state of society — after three years of full-scale war.
Ukraine is entering the fourth year of the Russian invasion. The front line has largely stabilized, and the war has turned into a format of exhausting confrontation. The emergency state of the first months has been replaced by a sense of prolonged reality, with which the country will have to live for a long time.
War as the new norm
Journalists from The Jerusalem Post spoke with Ukrainians back in December. Many then hoped for a quick end to the war — including against the backdrop of diplomatic initiatives by US President Donald Trump. However, expectations were restrained: more and more people talked about the confrontation with Moscow becoming a long-term norm, rather than a temporary crisis.
One of the Ukrainian officers in conversation with the publication emphasized: the attitude towards the invaders has not changed. “Orcs” remain “orcs.” But it is important for society to see not only hatred and rage, but the ability to endure, adapt, and continue life even in conditions of war.
Memory of the fallen — unchanged
At the same time, the new visual language has not displaced the theme of losses. In every city, there are billboards with the names and faces of the fallen. These posters have not been stylistically updated or softened. They still remind: the future comes at a specific price.
One of the slogans mentioned in the article sounds almost paradoxical: “They do not die.” This is not a denial of death, but an affirmation of memory — an attempt to preserve the presence of those who paid the ultimate price.
The shift in propaganda focus does not mean fatigue from the struggle. Rather, it is a sign of the maturity of a society that no longer lives only in survival mode. Ukraine is trying to capture a simple thought: war does not cancel the right to life, family, and the horizon of the future. It is this shift that the Israeli press recorded — and it is for this reason that the material in The Jerusalem Post turned out to be an important marker of the moment, which continues to be tracked by NAnews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency.
