By Hiro Yoshida

The announcement by Ukrainian ice dancers Oleksandra Nazarova and Makysm Nikitin earlier this month brought me right back to February and March this year as the horror of what was unfolding in twenty-first century Europe became clear. As we approach the six-month anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, I have been reflecting on how, from the perspective of someone who writes about figure skating, these events have left a deep impression on me.