The guns are now silent in North Saltivka, a neighbourhood on the north-eastern edge of Kharkiv, but war is everywhere to be seen
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskMr Zubatov’s melancholic mood is not unusual in Ukraine’s second city, which lies just 35km from the Russian border. Russian artillery has been pushed back beyond firing range of the city, but it is unclear whether Kharkiv will ever return to its pre-war life. A local enterprise now makes flak jackets for small children , to wear during evacuation.
Father Valera, an Afghan war veteran turned local priest, says the worry of staying warm has amplified the anxieties of people struggling to come to terms with the war. “I see the spiritual pain in everyone I speak to in Saltivka, including children,” he says. “Their eyes flick all over the place. They shudder when doors slam.” At the height of fighting in February and March, the basement of Father Valera’s chapel became a shelter for over 50 people.
For a long time, city authorities were unsure about their own celebration plans, especially given the blackout orders that have been in place since the early days of war. Mayor Ihor Terekhov, who has promoted himself as the face of Kharkiv’s brave resistance, said at one point he considered cancelling the seasonal programme. In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. “War has taken enough away from our children,” he said.
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