Kyiv

January 17, 2924

St. Michael’s Cathedral and monastery

a chilly stroll through the deserted streets and squares of the capital shortly before curfew

Long before curfew, the streets of Kyiv have a quieting presence. Perhaps it is because so many of its residents have left and not returned, perhaps it is the fresh blanket of snow absorbing the sounds of traffic, perhaps it is the fact that public transit runs on electricity, or maybe it’s just that people are more somber, don’t honk, keep their head down. The silence is not unsettling, it is deceptively peaceful. Thus far broken only once by an aerial alarm. Destroyed russian tanks and armored vehicles proudly displayed in the square in front of St. Michael’s cathedral are eerie reminders that this is a country at war. Ribbons of music rise from dimly lit cafes, beckoning us to escape the biting temperature. Many puffy coated patrons have heeded the same call, though perhaps to escape more than the bitter cold.