Ukraine Was a Beautiful, Vibrant Place Before The War

The war in Ukraine is heartbreaking on so many levels ... millions fleeing their once-tranquil homeland, and images from before the invasion show the brutality of Russian aggression.

Ukraine was a vibrant country before Vladimir Putin brought war to their land, and it's interesting to look back at life for Ukrainians before they saw their cities bombed to ruins.

In a Spring without war, Mariinsky Park would serve as a romantic backdrop for a date ... a popular place for people to gather, and even kiss on a park bench.

Putin's invading Russian forces mean there's no more bike rides through downtown Kyiv ... which means Ukrainians are missing their annual Spring Festival Retro Cruise ride, where women liked to dress in retro outfits and tool around town.

We hear a lot now about the capital city, Kyiv, but Ukraine is so much more ... there's a beautiful town called Vylkove along the Danube Delta near the border with Romania, which is the Ukrainian version of Venice. The town's streets are a bustling network of streams and canals, and folks would get around by boat.

And then, there's Lviv, a popular tourist destination with its cobblestone streets and well preserved architecture.