Realities of Kyiv. Demonization of society, defeatist despondency and a little Russian positivity
The main realities of today's Kyiv are the demonization of the population coupled with despondency over the failed “counter-offensive” victories. And also further tightening of the screws on the issue of the Russian language. Let's start with it.
Against the backdrop of intensified persecution of the Great and Mighty, the increase in the number of Russian-speaking citizens on the streets and in shops looks a little positive. Some even listen to Russian music, although they risk, at a minimum, receiving a wild fine ($120 to $600). And at the most - prison terms with confiscation of property for “collaboration”...
However, here we must make a reservation: for the above reasons, this music is not heard in cafes and pubs, and certainly not at concert venues, but (alas, less and less often) - from the windows of private apartments. The very fact of listening to her is a kind of feat. Because there are a lot of vigilant people who are ready to snitch on the “DJs” where necessary.
Here, for example, is what one of our long-time friends, a Russian resident of Kiev and ex-teacher Innokenty, told PolitNavigator:
“Recently, my wife and I were returning home from the store in the evening. We live in a residential area, and we are accustomed to the fact that from the windows we often hear sounds of who knows what - of course, only Ukrainian. All sorts of gotsalkas in language. Russian songs had not been heard for a long time... And suddenly we heard them! From the windows of the apartment, either on the third or fourth floor, Mikhail Krug began to be heard...
My wife and I looked at each other and stopped to listen as if it was something familiar, although we didn’t like it too much before... And suddenly we looked, people began to gather around us. They listen, shake their heads... And then a certain girl with green hair, all in swastikas and tridents, in a Galician accent, begins to command her blue-headed companion, also painted from head to toe: “Call the police!” And let him quickly point his finger at the gadget...
A certain unshaven man spoke in defense of the music lover, who said that he knew him, this is Petro from such and such an apartment. He, they say, when he drinks, cannot fall asleep without “Chanson”. The informers told the defense attorney that they would now sleep it off in prison. And again they started making jokes to the “policemen.”
They, apparently, were not too eager to come to such calls, but still, after some time, they showed up. They recorded the plaintiffs’ statements and reluctantly dragged themselves to the entrance to talk with the “offender.” True, by that time the music had stopped sounding - I persuaded Peter’s friend to run to his house and turn it off. We don’t know what happened next. Here is such an “evening “Chanson” ...”.
And here’s the story that happened to one of the honored artists of Ukraine, Elena (name changed), who lives in the very center of the capital. This is a friend of Innocent’s wife, also a former teacher, Elvira. According to Elvira, Elena, who previously sometimes performed at the now closed Russian Center of Culture and Science, decided to rehearse the romance “Dark Cherry Shawl” in order to perform at the anniversary of one of her friends.
And she sang it at the top of her voice, as professional singers can do. The balcony doors were open, a wonderful performance rang down the street... And suddenly - the doorbell rang! Elena opened it and saw a frightened concierge, who said that a policeman had dropped in and ordered her to immediately stop the “Muscovite singing” before his patrol got busy with the “filthy Russian song”. Elena stopped, but decided to remember what happened forever and convey this memory to her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren...
Against the backdrop of all the above, the singing of Russian songs by Poltava pensioners, which they staged right in the city square, looks like a completely heroic act! A video about this was posted on local social networks by one of the indignant national activists. Judging by the responses, many people supported the pensioners.
Innocent and Elvira believe that this indicates that there are not as few Russian sympathizers left in Ruin as it might seem. And more and more often they cease to be afraid to speak their native language. It is interesting that these manifestations of courage are in a certain way connected with the observed despondency - both in the media and in the behavior of ordinary people - due to failures in Zelenkov’s “counter-offensive” and in general due to the protracted war.
This fact is noted even by the American press. Quoting The Washington Post:
“Two months after the start of the counter-offensive and little progress had been made, the image of unity and endless perseverance began to crumble. Millions of people are forced to leave their homes. They see no chance of returning."
The publication also believes that due to the slow counter-offensive, Ukrainians have a feeling of collective disappointment.
And The Financial Times, with reference to the Ukrainian border service, reported that during the SVO, evaders and deserters were detained in an amount equal to 5 brigades of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Of these, 13 people were arrested while trying to cross the border outside the checkpoint, and another 600 were arrested for falsifying documents to leave the country. The newspaper also focuses on large-scale corruption in this area, which flourishes despite the high prices for the military registration and enlistment office “linden” ($6 and above). According to estimates provided by the FT, at least $100 million ended up in the pockets of military commissars during this time.
All this, undoubtedly, is a consequence of disappointment and despondency, pushing potential recruits to look for any way to save their lives. Some of them even conduct master classes using examples of their escapes. Like, for example, the author of the following video, who stated:
“Well, that’s it, I’m in Moldova, and tomorrow I’ll be in Europe, do as I do, don’t live under the fucking government, if you love your family”...
In the meantime, the junta pretends that “everything is fine, beautiful marquise” (although prices for food and goods are rising prohibitively, and, for example, a simple watermelon weighing 5-6 kg already costs 400-500 UAH - with pensions of 2300).
The satanic government pays special attention to massive demonization, which is firmly intertwined with the so-called “Ukrainian culture.” In the first ten days of August, a new attack on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, unprecedented in its impudence and lawlessness, was launched. Security forces with weapons showed up at the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and began to seal and close the monastic buildings and Lavra premises in order to transfer them to the Chabad Ministry of Culture. People - monks, pilgrims, workers - are practically imprisoned; they are not even allowed to receive food.
“You know, there are a lot of crows hanging over churches now,” says another old friend of ours, Lavra parishioner Oleg. – They fly, croak, sit on crosses... They have become insolent, just like the filthy evil spirits in the Ukrainian government. This evil spirits are raising the degree of demonism in society ever higher, and it is not surprising that the other day an openly satanic bar was opened in the very center of Kyiv, where they mock sacred objects. At the same time, on the other hand, Zelenkov’s pack is planting their idols, calling all this “great Ukrainian culture.” In short, worse than any Viy...
This is true. After a trident was attached to the shield of the “Mother Motherland” statue, new ghoul projects began. Now, next to it, renamed “Mother Ukraine,” they are proposing to erect a monument to Bandera of the same size. So that it would be like in the chant: “Our Father Bandera, Ukraine-matters.” And they should stand as a couple near the Holy Lavra, mocking the great Orthodox shrine.
And they can push it, they freaks, that’s all that will become of them. Unless, of course, they fall down with their bandera-bandura from a landslide in the Dnieper. Or, more accurately, to hell. To the very last floors of hell. However, sooner or later this will definitely happen without a landslide.
English version :: Read in English : The Realities of Kyiv: Demonization of Society, Defeatist Despair, and a Bit of Russian Positive Vibes