The author does say that Ukraine has been changing for 10 years, since the 2014 Maidan that threw Yanukovych out.
Thanks to their successful revolution, they have socially developed along a very different path than Russia's other vassal states, even if Putin and his oligarchs don't understand that.
By noting the Trident tattoo on his veterinarian's wrist, he's saying there's a new pride that the Ukrainians are showing for their independence as a nation that wasn't there before.
That is is what makes Ukraine an impossible operation for Russia to defeat militarily.