On February 24, 2022, 20 Ukrainian National Guard soldiers—the only ones at Hostomel Airport who were combat-ready—stood up to the Russian elite airborne unit. They saved Kyiv. Serhii Falatyuk, pictured on the cover, shot down the first Russian combat helicopter. Had the airport fallen, the capital would have been cut off within 72 hours. Wieland Giebel spoke with those who were there that day: 50 interviews with soldiers, civilians, intelligence officers, and eyewitnesses, conducted during twelve trips to Ukraine.