May 6, 2027. Three days before the anniversary of the Great Victory Day, the bells of Orthodox churches across Russia tolled not for prayer, but for celebration. The Kremlin officially announced that the special military operation had concluded. After years of conflict, the Russian flag proudly flew over every major city in Ukraine. On television, President Vladimir Putin, with a solemn expression, delivered a historic speech, declaring that "Great Russia has once again protected civilization from the aggression of new fascism." He called this victory "a new, glorious chapter in the nation's history," a continuation of the triumph of 1945.

May 9, 2027, as troops returning from Kyiv marched proudly across Red Square and the people poured out to celebrate, the Western world was plunged into a silence of defeat and shame. Television channels only dared to broadcast short, uncommentated news clips. Internal divisions and economic woes had made it impossible for them to accept this reality; they had poured too much money into the war and were now left with nothing. Under pressure from a demanding populace and fruitless negotiations with the United States, leaders began to question: "Should we leave the alliance?"

Following the victory, Russia announced it would proceed with the full annexation of Ukraine into Russian territory, citing the need to protect the "new Russians" from external forces and prevent a "new Maidan." This was met with controversy among the "new Russians" themselves and was condemned by the West as an act of aggression and a serious violation of United Nations rules.

An emergency meeting of the UN General Assembly was held not long after. The atmosphere in the hall was suffocating and tense. One of the European representatives rose to speak, angrily but with a sense of helplessness, condemning Russia's actions as a "blatant violation of international law." He called on the international community to sanction Russia. Yet, delegates from around the world remained silent, including the United States. This silence from the US left the entire hall questioning, "What is truly happening?"

In response to those accusations, the Russian delegate stood and declared that Russia would annex Ukraine through a referendum of the Ukrainian people, which would be monitored by the international community. Immediately after, the Chinese delegate issued a subtle statement of support, emphasizing the "right to self-determination of peoples" and accusing the West of interfering in the internal affairs of other nations. Thus, the meeting concluded in the humiliation of the Western representatives.

Not long after that humiliating meeting, a large number of American mining vehicles and ships, disguised under private company names, were seen entering Ukraine. It turned out that the US government had known all along that Ukraine could not win this war. Therefore, in secret, they had contacted Russia and made an agreement: Russia would be allowed to take back Ukraine, and in return, the Americans would be granted access to a portion of the country's resources to recoup the money they had supplied to the Zelensky government.

With Washington's tacit assurance, the Kremlin proceeded with the referendum in Ukraine. The vote, monitored by the international community as the Russian spokesman had promised, took place over a short month. The result showed that 51% of Ukrainians had agreed to the annexation. While European nations condemned this as an illegal and deceitful act, the US, the leader of the alliance, remained silent. Europe's words were now rendered powerless and hollow, for when their own leader had compromised with the enemy, all their arguments were for naught.

And so, in mid-August 2027, with a narrow but legally declared result based on the will and wishes of the people, the annexation of Ukraine was officially completed. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin officially became one of the great figures in Russian history; he had revived Russia from the ashes of the red empire and expanded its territory, allowing Russia to reclaim Sevastopol—the warm-water port and Russia's greatest Achilles' heel. Although a portion of the populace celebrated, the deep divisions were clear. For millions of others, that 51% was not the voice of democracy, but a death sentence for their independence.

This annexation made the cracks in the Western alliance irreparable. European leaders felt not only humiliated by Russia but also publicly shamed by their long-time friend, the United States. Trust collapsed, the old order shattered, and that was also when a tragic wave of migration from Ukraine began, igniting a new crisis that would soon engulf the entire continent.

September 2027, a great migration of over 10 million Ukrainians flooded into Europe, citing "fear of political persecution." European nations, who once proclaimed themselves as democratic bastions and the cradle of human civilization, could not refuse 10 million people fleeing a war-torn country and a totalitarian state. They were forced to accept these new citizens, especially the countries bordering former Ukraine: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. The large number of immigrants arriving at once paralyzed the social security systems of these nations, and social problems spiraled out of control. Poland repeatedly called on other members of the alliance for help, but received only weary headshakes and worthless statements.

At the end of the war in Ukraine, the biggest loser was not Zelensky but Europe. They had been stabbed in the back without even knowing it. And in the end, it was: land for Russia, resources for the US, debt for Europe, and "glory" for a ruined Ukraine.