Of course, no one is really in the mood to party: almost every young person knows someone who is fighting or has been otherwise affected by war. Many have family members in more dangerous areas who often do not want to leave their homes. And every day the media presents further news about the invasion. Although Kyiv can sometimes evoke a normalcy of the past, the threat of Russian missiles is never far away. Meanwhile, more than 100 soldiers die every day on the front lines. and the Russian military appears to be increasingly attacking civilian targets, including residential buildings and shopping malls. Young people in the capital try to support their country of origin as much as possible: volunteering, collecting and sorting donations, activism and raising awareness on social media. No one knows yet what their future holds. But amid all the uncertainty, many are optimistic that the Ukrainian military will win. Sasha, a prospective student who lived for weeks under Russian occupation in the first weeks of the war, says how absurd it is to send applications for work and university, even though the long-term future cannot be predicted at all: “The phase of danger and uncertainty during the occupation in the Kiev region is still very close to me. It was a time without electricity, running water, internet connection and the certainty of whether friends and family would survive. Now making plans in a more secure situation, for a long-term future, when it was just survival in the days of occupation, is such a huge difference in perspective that it’s hard to handle.”
Sasha lived in the village of Dymer, north of Kiev, with his family under Russian occupation in the first weeks of the war
Singer in the band Skinkedy, Nick reports that he has deleted all his songs in Russian, he only wants to sing in Ukrainian: “My main goal is to prevent the disappearance of our language, music and culture.” Many young people talk about the difficulties they face in finding new jobs to replace the ones they lost when the war started. Anton says: “The entertainment industry, where I worked for the last few years, no longer exists. Now I spend my days volunteering, but I don’t know what will bring me money in the long run.” Left, June from Odessa. Right, Ksenia poses for a portrait in Shevchenko ParkLeft, Maryna studies cinema. Right, Denis studies theater in Kyiv Clockwise from top right: Ksenia poses for a portrait in Shevchenko Park. He is grateful to still be able to live in the capital. Denis is studying theater in Kyiv. He thinks he’s lucky as no family members have died or are fighting on the front lines right now. Maryna is studying film and working on a project about a friend who was seriously injured in the army in the early stages of the war. June from Odesa is currently living as a refugee in Kyiv and would like to change the gender on her passport as she is still listed as male on her documents, which prevents her from leaving Ukraine Young artists often feel that their creativity has been put on hold and if they produce something, it should at least be useful in their country or sold for a good cause. Across the city, there are solidarity initiatives committed to working for Ukraine’s survival and victory. For example, Grisha from Irpin says: “We want to stay in our city and rebuild it, even if a lot has been destroyed. and the memories of the first weeks of the war will remain.”
Best friends Grisha (left) and Borys swim in a lake near Irpin. Grisha left Irpin half an hour before the Russians came to the street where he lived with his family
Even a well-known alternative technology club is raising money for anti-tank weapons. it is clear to all that they will only be able to celebrate again when they have done it together. Artem, a member of the club’s staff, says: “It’s not time for rave parties, like we did before. Our soldiers die every day for the freedom of Ukraine. Kyiv and its rave parties were once on the way to being considered the new Berlin. that’s just something that doesn’t matter anymore.” The townspeople celebrate Ukrainian culture, clothing and music whenever possible and appropriate. They fear that Russia’s long-term plan is to deny Ukraine independence by destroying domestic traditions and culture. For example, Ksenia says: “It’s more important than ever to keep Ukrainian culture alive. That’s why I joined a dance group celebrating the anniversary of Kiev.” In the suburbs of Kyiv, much clean-up work by volunteers has been completed, but reconstruction will take a long time, as will many wounds. For young people, there are many different levels of how the war continues to affect them emotionally. They cannot avoid the seriousness of the situation, which is unlike any other in Europe at the moment. For Dymitry, the war has devastating consequences. “I beg my grandfather every day. He lives near Kramatorsk and has a farm there. He already had two Russian missiles in his backyard. However, he wants to stay and support the Ukrainian army as best he can with food, water, gas, whatever he can support. He could die any day and I am very afraid of that.” Left, fans at a progressive rock concert wait for the next band to play. Right, musicians gather at an arts and culture center Left, fans at a progressive rock concert wait for the next band to play. That’s right, musicians jamming in an arts and culture center For months now, airstrikes have been part of everyday life in the city, as has the burial of fallen soldiers in cemeteries. And having long-term plans is impossible for most people. After months of mental strain, many young city dwellers are looking for brief moments of distraction, brief normalcy and safety, in a country where there will likely be no surefire safety for months to come. For example, Dimar says: “We usually check the news in Telegram groups and other social media every hour, we can’t get away from the fate of our country.”
Top, Dimar and Cathy in their apartment in the west of Kiev. Top left, a wrecked car near Makariw. Top right, a makeshift checkpoint near Hostomel in the Kyiv region. Many checkpoints are no longer manned after the withdrawal of the Russian army, but people are ready to reinforce the defense again at any time
In their shaken emotional world, gratitude for foreign aid is mixed with a sense that there just isn’t enough help from some countries. Townsman Georgi says: “Our soldiers have to fight with one artillery against 10. How can they win this war in the long run? Help must come from outside. Ukraine cannot organize it alone.
