Life is slowly returning to Kyiv

More people and cars again on the streets of Kiev. Supermarket shelves are full, hairdressers, cafes and restaurants are reopening.

From the beginning of April, Kyiv seems to be returning to everyday life. Many residents who fled the city when the Russian bombing began in late February are slowly returning to their homes. But the city administration warns that the military threat has not yet passed. However, there are people on the streets again. Shops, cafes, restaurants and hairdressers are reopening. And for 90% of school-age children there will again be distance learning.

According to the Razmukov Research Center in Kyiv, 79% of Ukrainian refugees want to return home. Hundreds of people already return to Kyiv every day.

For example, on the morning of April 5, a crowded bus from Rivne arrived at Kiev Central Station. Andrei, 40, says he returned via neighboring Poland. Although on the morning of April 5 Kyiv was again shaken by explosions, this does not seem to discourage many. “People are reading the news and knowing that minesweepers are working in Bhutan and other suburbs. After seeing what the Russians were doing there, they wanted to return immediately. Our apartment in Kyiv was not damaged and it was time for me to take up arms or “to help rebuild,” says Andrei. His wife also misses her hometown and wants to return home as soon as possible, despite all the hassle.

More public transportation and shopping

Andrei is happy that he does not have to spend money on a taxi to take him home. Because exactly on April 5, the metro was fully operational again. According to the municipality, 150 buses and more than 30 trams are now back in operation. Taxis also circulate as before the war.

Last week the traffic on the streets of Kiev increased significantly and the usual traffic jams returned. But now it is forming at checkpoints and exits on the bridges over the Dnipro River. Driver and passenger papers are checked there.

Empty shelves in Kiev supermarkets began to fill up again in late March. Panic markets declined and the usual products from Ukrainian producers, from confectionery to fresh meat and dairy products, reappeared.

In the last week, even before the withdrawal of Russian troops from the Kiev region, alerts for air strikes and shootings due to street fighting have decreased.

Hot meals and a coffee in the garden

Many small business owners are also starting to work again. Authorities say more than 760 grocery stores, 400 restaurants and more than 440 gas stations have opened since early April. At a central metro station used as a shelter, a former Thai restaurant has been converted into a kitchen, where hot meals are prepared for the militia and people hiding in the basements during air raids.

A cafe has opened next to this kitchen. “We have up to 50 customers every day who like both our coffee and our comfortable garden. We feel that people are gradually returning to the capital, there are more customers. But the competition is also increasing, as more cafes are opening every day.” says Alexandra, who runs the cafe.

Also alcoholic beverages are again available in supermarkets, while the residents of Kiev are happy that the hairdressers reopened.

Alexander Savitsky

Edited by: Maria Rigoutsou

Source: Deutsche Welle