From Maia Mikhaluk in Kyiv (323rd day of ruzzian invasion): It would be impossible to take these kinds of pictures in Kyiv this winter because our streets and churches are not lit up at night, and our monuments are protected from ruzzian bombs by barricades of sandbags.
But the city is still gorgeous and maybe even more so because we are not only appreciating appearances, but we also see the inner beauty, strength, unbreakable resolve, and commitment to freedom. The beauty of Kyiv is not just in history, movements, murals, architecture and parks; it’s a city of beautiful, brave, strong, and resilient people!
I want to quote a text written by Maya Tulchynska:
“Kyiv is a city with no light, but there is a pistachio latte. Because generators are buzzing in coffee shops like May bugs over cherry trees.
Kyiv is a city without electricity or water for several days, but all my acquaintances have clean hair. Because they leave the lights on in the bedrooms at night. And when at 2 in the morning they get light and water, they jump out of bed and run to the shower.
Kyiv is a city where there is no light, water or heat for several days, but women have fresh manicures. Because it’s a holiday. Because they want to. Because manicurists have portable UV lamps for drying nail polish and large blogger lamps plugged into a power bank for illumination.
In Kyiv, a city where for several days there is no light, then water, then heat, sometimes no mobile connection, or all of that at the same time – there is fresh bread in the shops, full shelves of all kinds of food. Garbage is collected regularly. The snow is being removed. Only 50 % of the traffic lights are working, but there are no more accidents on the streets than there have always been. It seems even less.
Someday, history books will write about a nation in which not only the warriors defeated the barbarians, but also the civilians managed to remain civilized in artificially created barbaric conditions. They managed to maintain their usual civilized way of life wherever possible.”
47 days left till spring…
Photos were taken in January 2022.
Voice of Ukraine 
2 responses to “1/13/2023 – Kyiv: A city of beautiful, brave, strong, and resilient people!”
Thank you for your posts, Maia. I watched the video you sent a link for recently that was shown at Urbana. It was so good to put a face to your name and to know more about you. It gives me a more personal connection to what you write. May the Lord bless you and keep you! The situation in your country and the people I know about there through Voice of Ukraine are often in my thoughts and prayers.
LikeLike
Salve Ukraine!
LikeLike