Visiting Kyiv

I recently got the opportunity, as part of a media pool, to accompany Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister, Xavier Bettel, and the Defence Minister, Yuriko Backes, on an official visit to Kyiv in Ukraine.

The first part of the journey involved a two-hour flight in an Airbus A400M, a military plane with seating on both sides of the cargo bay / fuselage (such as we used when flying to Lithuania with Minister Backes earlier in the year); this was followed by an hour-long road trip - partly by motorway - across easter Poland's farmland where it was interesting to spot deer, buzzards and other wildlife close to the roads.

On the ten-hour rail journey from Przemysl in Poland to Kyiv, most of us had twin cabins (couchettes) to ourselves, allowing us the privacy to both both work (on preparing articles) and get some sleep for the day ahead. There was an hour stop around Lviv while border guards checked passports, and we were awoken with fresh coffee and being able to freshen up in the washrooms/toilets which were more spacious and cleaner than many found on European trains.

Relaxing for the remaining 30 minutes of the rail journey, this time by road, one was able to look out at dawn at the passing countryside, of fields, villages and both deciduous and coniferous forests, with many similarities to home, including seeing saplings cut back away from the railway lines (just like in Luxembourg at present), as well as watching fox cubs playing gleefully in the grass enjoying the morning sunshine. Life goes on, even in a war zone.

Approaching Kyiv, the main giveaway to approaching the city of three million people was high-rise apartment blocks...

Once arrived, and travelling around the city as part of the ministerial motorcade, it was interesting to observe how European Kyiv looks and feels, arguably most akin to Berlin. And possibly more interesting was that the streets and pavements were spotless and there were very few closed / boarded-up shops in the city centre, with coffee shops, restaurants, supermarkets, beauty salons, flower shops, etc., all open for business and welcoming customers. It was business as normal...

Granted, Kyiv is not on the front line and the vast majority of attacks are at night. At the pre-visit security briefing, we were advised that the main two risks were falling debris and digital espionage  And to bring a "Go-Bag" in case of emergency...

We heard no air-raid sirens, or experienced any other form of disturbance, during our visit to Kyiv, and we were back on the overnight train for its 21:00 departure, retracing the arrival route. However, it was difficult not to notice that many windows in government buildings had sandbags stacked around them - enough to let some light through (the corridors were dimly lit) but tough enough to limit the effects of nearby artillery attacks. 

After the formal part of the event had concluded, we went to the famous Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square) which contains the iconic Independence Monument, and wandered around, taking in the monuments and statues; one could not help feel for those who have lost loved ones, while life continues with traffic passing by and pedestrians shopping or walking home or to take public transport. It was also noticeable to see a large number of electric scooters, of different operators, being used here, not dissimilar to the Ve'loh concept in Luxembourg city.

Despite much of Kyiv appearing normal, the country has been experiencing a catastrophic assault on it territory, culture, language and people; whatever and whenever it happens in terms of a (permanent) ceasefire, Ukraine and its people will continue to suffer for generations to come, regardless of international support in all its forms. The psychological and other scars will be permanent as Ukraine emerges out from under the current Russian aggression.

Life goes on, but not as we know it. 

(Many of the photos are taken from moving vehicles through Kyia, with some from Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square)).