I know the exact moment when Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to launch his full-scale invasion of Ukraine: Oct. 1, 2021. It was the day the opera “Vyshyvanyi: The King of Ukraine” premiered in Kharkiv. I was at the event and vividly recall all the details. The premiere proved to be a cultural shock for Kharkiv and resonated across Ukraine. The air filled with premonition, a sense that something monumental was about to unfold, though no one could articulate it precisely. Words swirled on the tip of the tongue; they were tender yet pregnant with meaning, like champagne bubbles teasing t…