in Kharkiv, young people decide to stay despite everything

Ukraine’s second city has been continuously bombed by Russia for a month. Despite the threat, the younger generation is choosing to stay.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second city, daily life is punctuated by power cuts and bombing alerts. The city is still under Russian threat, continuously for a month. The border is less than 30 kilometers from this large city, which had a million and a half inhabitants before the invasion of the country in 2022. But Ukrainian youth are still there! Often proud, and in search of light.

A large park, at nightfall and like everywhere in the world, at the start of the weekend, children are rowdy and chasing each other. But these little Ukrainians play in the dark. The only light comes from the cabin next door, which sells takeaway coffee, connected to a generator. Because here we have brought out the generators for winter 2022.

“We try to put a little joy in our lives”

Taras is 24 years old, he is a bartender. He reconnected his generator as soon as the strikes returned, a month ago: “Because of these bombings, the new bars in Kharkiv are opening directly in basements. At least that way we know it will be secure.” There are people in these underground establishments and even on the sidewalks. Tonight, Taras is enjoying with her friends Tanya and Marina. “Our life is here! To leave would be to show Russia that we are afraid of it, assures Taras. So we try to relax even if it’s in the dark. Every day, we look for light… We try to put a little joy in our lives.”

Franceinfo met Ilya in a second-hand clothing store, sold by weight: 350 rhyvnias per kilo, or a little more than 8 euros. Like everyone else, when the last drone or missile alert sounded, Ilya did what everyone does here: he tuned it out and continued his activities. “Frankly, I don’t know anyone who still reacts to alerts, Ilya says. Because it’s here all the time! Most often, we hear an explosion, and 10 or 15 seconds later, the alert goes off. So it’s pretty useless…”

“This week, I was almost unable to work”

It must be said that Russia is so close that some projectiles take less than a minute to reach Kharkiv. Ilya says that not long ago, a missile fell less than a kilometer from him. An old gentleman, beside him, was smoking: “There was this massive explosion… It was very loud! But he just turned his head, as if nothing had happened. For some, it became normal life.” He teaches English online and with the power cuts in Kharkiv, it’s very complicated: “This week, I was almost unable to work. The mobile network is very bad and my box at home doesn’t work. Last week, we were without power for 16 hours a day! So yes, it’s is very hard.”

Kharkiv, student city, and very culturally active. Vlada and Glib, not even 20 years old, come out of a painting exhibition. She is a painter, and he is a cook. He wears a bohemian shirt, a long ponytail, and despite the missiles sees no reason to leave: “If we leave, who will stay here? We, the young people, are the future of Kharkiv! We must ensure that it develops and functions. I was born here… I love this city.”