“Buena Vista”: The last free drink in Kyiv – Apagio for military, journalists, citizens

Unaware that he lives in a war-torn city, six-year-old Sviatoslav plays with his tablet, sitting on a stool and leaning against the bar. He is alone, surrounded by bottles of whiskey, rum, cannulas with beer… A man peeks here and there to make sure there are no misfortunes.

Roman, 33, is his father, who speaks in the dim light of the next room with his wife, Svetlana, who is the same age. The family has been living underground for three days to make sure they do not fall victim to them attacks by Russian troops in the Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and other Ukrainian cities. The mother says that Sviatoslav asked on the first day what they were doing in this place and that in order not to “scare” him they just told him to be safer, as if trying to downplay the sudden movement.

This is how the Spanish El Pais described its response from the last open bar of Kiev, the Buena Vista Social Bar, which is the refuge of the military, journalists and civilians. And it still remains open even after almost a month of war and bombing.

According to the Guardian, Buena Vista is a meeting place for the remaining residents of the capital. Those who get there can learn the news of the day but also eat a hot meal.

The former Soviet bar that remains open amid bombing

A former Soviet bar that had embraced alternative culture in Kyiv since 1980 and was for a time a Spanish tapas bar, ended up in the hands of Max, a 45-year-old architect, in 2014. The store is now called the Buena Vista Social Bar, a tribute to the legendary Cuban disco – and later documentary – Buena Vista Social Club.

The space, in the historic center of the city, has two floors, one at street level and one in the basement. The lowest is ideal for what Ukrainians seek as a refuge to protect themselves from attack. That’s why Max, who took part in the Maidan uprising eight years ago and then traveled several times as a volunteer logger in the Donbass region – where Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists are at war – has decided to open its doors. part of the restaurant for anyone who needs it.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, live on television

The staircase leading down is partly made of wood from wine boxes, some even from the Spanish winery Bodegas Torres. Between the exposed brick walls, bongos and drums are hidden, reminiscent of the days of live music. Beds are improvised on stools, armchairs and even tables. Blankets, pillows, suitcases and bags are scattered.

Natalia, a 42-year-old youtuber with a history channel that is watched by 40,000 people, participates and is revealed to talk to the journalist. She has known Max for two decades and that is why she decided to move to Buena Vista. In this basement he has found a new family, because the hours and the war brought the shelter closer. “We are two dogs, a child, three teenagers, an old woman, three men and the rest are women,” she describes.

“I’m not afraid,” says Max, recalling his nine road trips to Donbass. He does not intend to leave Kyiv or close his business until he is forced to do so, as is the case from Saturday night until Monday due to martial law imposed by the authorities with a curfew.

“I hate Zelensky. “I am a supporter of Poroshenko,” said the bar owner, referring to his preference for the former Ukrainian president between 2014 and 2019, when comedian Volodymyr Zelensky, the current leader, came to power. But he immediately clarifies that, in the current situation, there is no doubt in his mind that we should be with him and support him, as he understands that Russia wants to overthrow the current government. In addition, Max is determined to join the defense force as a volunteer. He says his girlfriend, Daria, 38, also wants to get involved.

She, who is also around the store, says the last food they bought before the war is already over. Nevertheless, about a dozen guests are having fun on Saturday on the upper floor of the Buena Vista. Daria explains how they even posted the announcement of the solidarity shelter on social media. “Apart from the neighbors, we believe it could be good for foreigners in Kyiv without a family,” he says in good Spanish, having lived in Bolivia for four years.

Waiting for evacuation

“In war, no one wins. Everyone loses. “They have to negotiate,” said Firat, 25, one of thousands of Turks studying in Ukraine. He admits that he is in the shelter waiting for his embassy to notify him to evacuate the shelter. But he does not know if it is too late. He regrets, without criticizing his country, that other governments have been more diligent in recent weeks in urging their citizens to leave.

His arrival at the restaurant shelter was accidental. He says he started listening to the bombs, left his house and, a few meters away, fell on a girl at the door of the Buena Vista, who offered to let him in. And so far. “It’s terrible to be down here. “It’s like a movie,” he says, pointing to the corner where he spends his nights lying on four stools lined up on the wall. “I was not prepared for that. They are looking for water, food… “.