Dear Friend of Eurasia, Popasnaya was once a peaceful town in eastern Ukraine. Life for its 22,000 people went by much as it had for generations. Then the war came. In 2014, Popasnaya—and most of eastern Ukraine—became a battleground between the Ukrainian government and those who opposed it. Danger replaced routine. Uncertainty replaced tradition. The presence of armed soldiers, frequent shellings, and the risk of land mines became the new normal. By March 2015, Popasnaya’s retail district had reportedly dwindled to two stores and one pharmacy. The majority of its residents had to rely on food distributions from humanitarian groups…
