Crisis in Ukraine
Dnipro. Soldiers and citizens who go about their daily lives travel together in the convoys that connect Kiev with one of the big cities located on the threshold of the battle line
The central railway station in Kiev is surrounded by small trading posts. In one they sell coats. In other sandwiches and sandwiches. Electronic gadgets are also available. Temperatures hover around zero degrees and the poorly paved streets are full of snow and mud. Two volunteers sell bracelets with the Ukrainian flag. Next to a hot coffee stall, an elderly woman grabs customers by the arm to ask them for alms or a drink. Nobody pays attention to him. The owner of the business yells something at her and the woman slowly walks away.
The central station of Kiev is a nerve center of the capital of Ukraine. It is made up of 14 tracks that serve suburban, medium-distance and even international trains. From this station you can also reach practically the entire city by bus, tram or metro. Thousands of people pass through here every day. But no one stays longer than is strictly necessary. It’s cold and snowing. The atmosphere is not exactly welcoming. Almost everyone is passing through, covered up to the eyebrows. Those who remain are working or are holding on to a bottle of alcohol.
In the environment there are many uniformed soldiers. Almost all very young. They are members of the armed forces who return to Kiev, return to the front after leave or go to other Army bases. There are people who stop for a second in the middle of the street to thank them and show their support. But most are just looking to get into their warm place as soon as possible.
You see so many soldiers because the trains that arrive near the war front with the pro-Russian separatists and the border with Russia leave from here. That region, Donbass, has been mired in fighting since 2014. Some 14,000 people have been killed and entire towns have been reduced to rubble. There are many dead, but international alarms did not go off until Russian President Vladimir Putin deployed 100,000 soldiers ready to act at any time. Right now any wrong move can trigger an open war between Ukraine and Russia. The eyes of the world are fixed on Donbass.
Getting here is not easy. In order to access the most exposed front line with certain guarantees, a permit from the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense is required. Before you have to send numerous documents and wait about 30 days for the application to be approved.
“We are resistant”
The train leaves for Dnipro, first stopover bound for the front. It is one of the main cities relatively close to the fighting. In the environment there are several military bases. Thousands of people have fled the war here. Two types of trains depart from Kiev. The fast ones and the slow ones. It’s two hours apart. The rapids take about seven hours to reach Dnipro. It is not a long time considering the distances of this country. In second class they cost about 400 hryvnias (about 12 euros). At first they cost double.
The convoy leaves at 5:35 p.m. Punctual like clockwork. Outside it’s snowing, inside it’s quite hot. But the train is modern and comfortable. Second class carriages are full. There are hardly any free sites. Although the convoy approaches the war front, the Ukrainians try to get on with their lives. “We are resilient people. We have learned to live under threat », they repeat. Almost everyone kills the hours watching movies, reading or playing with the mobile. Only a few want to talk.
Misha Alekseienko returns to Dnipro after a few days in Kiev visiting a friend. He believes that the frontal war will not end up being unleashed, but he recognizes that many people have left (or are considering leaving) for a while as a precaution. Misha explains that if there were to be a Russian invasion, Dnipro might be one of the first cities to be attacked.
Next to Misha sits Ruslan Maltsev. He is a nice guy who turns 18 today. One of the passengers has problems with his cell phone and he offers to share his internet data. He also lives in Dnipro. He is worried about a possible war. But, for now, he has been more closely affected by covid. His classes in Kiev have been suspended and they have to go back to video calls.
At the station, soldiers returning to their homes in Kiev and those going to the front meet
A few seats away sits Dennis Levchyshen. He is a native of Odessa, a southern region where a significant number of citizens who express themselves and who have Russian customs live. Dennis is suspicious when he is asked about the Donbass. He says it’s a complex issue, but insists he sympathizes with both the displaced and the people who are still there. “The drama of people stays behind the cameras,” he warns.
It is midnight and the train finally reaches Dnipro. Almost all the passage is asleep. It snows and silence reigns. The noise of the shots is only a couple of hours from here.