On February 23, 2026, Ukrainian author Serhiy Zhadan and historian Karl Schlögel convened in Berlin to discuss the ongoing war in Ukraine, four years after Russia's full-scale invasion. Zhadan, who joined the Ukrainian armed forces in spring 2024 and co-founded the "Khartia" brigade, spoke from his experience in Kharkiv, a city near the Russian border heavily impacted by daily rocket and drone attacks. Schlögel, an expert on Eastern European history, emphasized the importance of not becoming accustomed to the war's atrocities, drawing parallels to historical destruction and the concept of "urbicide" – the systematic destruction of urban infrastructure. Both speakers highlighted the resilience of Kharkiv's population, which continues to maintain daily life amidst constant threat, and stressed the need for continued vigilance and understanding of the war's devastating reality.