Ukraine’s Christmas season without its traditional glow
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Just a year ago, Sophia Square in Kyiv was all about the big Christmas tree and thousands of lights spreading over the plaza. In the middle of a 10-month-long war, the tree is now smaller and more humble. The blue and yellow lights of the tree barely break the darkness of the square, which is dark except for the cars’ headlights.
Russia has been focusing on the energy infrastructure in recent months. It wants to reduce heating and electricity for Ukrainians as winter progresses. Although the Ukraine government attempts to act as fast as possible, it’s almost impossible to restore power to all citizens of the country, not even the capital with its more than 3,000,000 residents.
While streets in Kyiv’s central area may be lit on certain days, power has been cut and restrictions have been placed by authorities. This means that Christmas is darkened.
But even in these gloomy moments, some people have decided to show their determination and rescue whatever they can these holidays — like the Christmas tree, still standing proud even if it doesn’t have the brightness of recent years.
Kyiv’s Mayor, Vitali Klitschko, announced the installation of the Christmas tree, saying it was going to be named the “Tree of Invincibility.”
“We decided that we wouldn’t let Russia steal the celebration of Christmas and New Year from our children,” he said. The name, he added, was “because we Ukrainians cannot be broken.”
The “Tree of Invincibility” was inaugurated on Dec. 19, the same day that Russia launched a drone attack against Kyiv, but damaged only a power plant that didn’t caused a massive blackout in the city.
Contrary to previous years when Sophia Square was bustling with people and music, this year there is no generator generating the lights for the tree (12 m) (40 ft). On top of it, there is no star of Bethlehem’s but instead a trident, Ukraine’s symbol.
Before Kyiv’s government installed the tree, there had been some discussion about its appropriateness in a year filled with so many horrors and tragedies. Similar discussions took place across the country. Some regions chose not to have trees.
However, there are some who like it.
“We are grateful that we can see at least something in such times,” said Oleh Skakun, 56, during the unveiling of the tree on Monday.
He stated that they used to go to the Kherson Christmas tree every December 19, which was his wife’s birthday. It is located near their home. Their house on the left bank is now under Russian occupation. They had to flee to Kyiv in August.
Skakun stated that they were not sad but wanted to continue the Christmas tradition of visiting a Christmas Tree.
“Twenty Russians live in my house now; they tortured people, they tortured my son,” said Larysa Skakun, 57. “But we came here to cheer up a bit, to see the people, the celebration”, she added in tears.
Among other cities that also decided to install a Christmas tree is Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city that for months was on the edges of the front line and constantly attacked by Russian missiles. It was instead of being placed on a square, but it was installed inside the main subway station.
Some Ukrainians find it difficult to celebrate Christmas.
Anna Holovina (27 years old) visited Sophia Square to view the tree. However, she said that she still thinks of her home in the Luhansk area, which has been occupied since 2014 by Russian forces.
“I feel sadness. I feel pain. I don’t feel the holiday at all,” she said. “My family is in Kyiv, but my hometown has been occupied for the eighth year now.”
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine: https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine