The Kyiv calm amid a Russian menace

KYIV — Kyivans everywhere were glued to their screens Monday night, watching as Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into eastern Ukraine.  

On the metro, late-evening commuters stared at their phones even more intently than usual, constantly refreshing the news. A wave of apprehension swept over the city: Here, at last, was Russia’s invasion.

But if someone was dropped into Kyiv on Tuesday morning, they may not have realized it. The city appeared to have adopted the famous phrase of Britain under attack by Nazi Germany: “Keep Calm and Carry On.” 

There were no fewer smiles and laughs on the faces of the many people walking on the streets. The roads struggled under the weight of their characteristic traffic problem, made worse by street markets, according to local news. In central Kyiv, buskers’ melodies on keyboard or saxophone drifted through the windy, sunlit air.  

But if you speak the language — and are nosy — you can pick up on the subject from snatches of people’s conversations, discussing President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the international reaction to Putin’s move or other adjacent topics. Before sending troops into Ukraine overnight, Putin had recognized the independence of two breakaway territories in the country’s eastern Donbass region, a move Western leaders warned may serve as the pretext to attempt a full takeover of Ukraine.

And yet despite worries, Ukrainians who spoke to POLITICO were resolute.  

“As a business owner, I ran my errands as usual, with little to no changes to most processes,” said Misha Rudominski, a 22-year-old tech entrepreneur in Podil, a hip downtown neighborhood. “I go to parties and meet with friends and family.”

In a move that illustrates Rudominski’s composure, he and his partner are buying a wardrobe for their flat. 

“I’m not seeing signs of panic in society,” said Vitaliy Dudin, a labor rights expert who lives in the Obolon district. “It seems that our people are hard to surprise with some kind of developments. People in Kyiv are making plans for the coming months and that encourages optimism.”

Dudin, 34, a married father of two, has decided with his family that they will not leave Ukraine. 

Earlier on Tuesday, Zelenskiy said he doesn’t expect a large-scale war to hit Ukraine. While Kyivans are open to the possibility of a deep invasion, many have resolved to deal with it when it comes. 

“I think that Putin tried to scare the world by escalating his war with Ukraine and the world showed that it’s not scared of a bully,” Rudominski said. 

Ivana Petrenko, 22, who lives in the Holosiivsky district, feels the same way.

“As a political science student, yesterday’s news was something that I was expecting,” she said. She believes that the world community will help find an answer. 

While her documents and money are prepared, she does not have an emergency bag packed, and her family for now is living as normal. 

For some, the news brought a new sense of determination. A Solomyansky district resident filmed a large gathering of people outside of the local military recruitment office. Ukraine’s Territorial Defense units of paramilitary civilian units led by full-time soldiers have been identified as a major priority for the country’s defense. 

According to a poll by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation, 48 percent of Ukrainians said they would either fight or help the military, with 18 percent saying they would try to survive and only 3 percent saying they would try to flee abroad. 

Leaving may be difficult for people with material shortages, Dudin said. If the conflict escalates, it will be a big “test of solidarity” if the most vulnerable will be assisted by others. 

While Kyivans are keeping calm in the face of danger, it would be untrue to say that the looming conflict has not affected them or forced them to confront possible horrors. 

Olga Tokariuk, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, tweeted that mothers on Facebook had discussed putting stickers on their child’s clothes indicating their blood type.

Rudominski said some of his friends and colleagues have dealt with confusion and worry. 

“They hear a variety of contradictory thoughts and can’t make up their mind if they’re scared or not,” he said. “A chunk of my time right now is dedicated to helping people find confidence in the future.”