Sunbathing on terraces, playing in the streets, sitting at cafes: Despite a weekend of intense Russian bombardment, Kyiv residents returned to their normal routines on Monday, with some saying they had become desensitised after more than four years of war.
The strikes between late Saturday and early Sunday were among the heaviest on Kyiv since Russia invaded in February 2022, leaving four people dead and multiple buildings destroyed across the capital.
Among the weapons Russia used during the barrage was its Oreshnik hypersonic missile, which can travel 10 times the speed of sound and is capable of carrying nuclear warheads, according to Moscow.
“We’re used to it,” said Roman, a 36-year-old firefighter who helped clear the ruins from a building destroyed in the strike.
Sitting at a table in the Kyiv neighbourhood of Podil, he told AFP he had learned to adjust psychologically after seeing repeated destruction in his career.
“Emotions take a back seat,” he said, his eyes bloodshot after having worked with his colleagues throughout the night.
Behind him, a young man stepped over a heap of charred debris, taking care not to spill his latte macchiato.
– ‘Life is not stopping’ –
On one street, children played just metres from the site of a Russian strike.
“Watch out for glass!” one woman shouted at them.
Among the buildings damaged in the weekend attack was the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, a small college that specialises in liberal arts.
Mykola, 17, and Maksym, 18, came to class despite the attack.
“We don’t give this so much meaning. Life is not stopping,” said Mykola, who only found out the windows at the college had shattered after seeing news reports.
“It affects sleep the most,” said Mykola. “I’ve gotten used to it, but before, at the beginning, it was downright stressful.”
When the alarms sound in the city, the two students no longer go to underground shelters, preferring a “good sleep” in the safety of basements.
The strikes caused damage in every district of the Ukrainian capital, according to Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko.
The residence of the Albanian ambassador was also hit and the Balkan country summoned the Russian envoy in protest.
Buildings housing a studio of German broadcaster ARD and an office for German outlet DW were damaged as well, both companies said. Both premises were empty of people at the time.
– ‘Mark of invincibility’ –
After one coffee shop sustained damage in the strike, dozens of Kyiv residents flocked to support the business, queueing up to make orders despite the damage.
The coffee shop’s owner, Yevgen Prusak, became a minor social media celebrity after serving hot drinks to rescuers through the blown-out windows of his shop.
“Yesterday I thought I was going to close for good,” said Prusak, the 35-year-old owner of HOGO cafe.
But seeing customers come back despite the state of the cafe, “I understood who I’m working for,” he said.
In front of the cafe, 36-year-old army veteran Dmytro sipped an espresso, despite the ashes swirling around him.
A bit dazzled by the sun, he appeared relaxed, even though his building was hit.
“My wife took shelter in the bathroom,” he said.
Continuing to enjoy life despite the strikes, he said, was “a mark of invincibility.”
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