As tensions escalate between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russian separatists, France yesterday called on its nationals to leave Ukraine. Pascal Boiteux is a Frenchman living in Kiev with his Ukrainian wife and two children aged 15 and 19 for eight years. Fully integrated into Ukrainian society, they are “decided to stay” in Ukraine. “We are not going to give in to the game of the Russians.” According to him, “they’re not crazy enough to invade Ukraine”. Pascal Boiteux does not believe “that Kiev will be completely annihilated”.
franceinfo: Do you plan to leave Ukraine?
Pascal Boiteux: My country, my city is Kiev. I live in Ukraine, I work in Ukraine. My children are at school. My son is at university, my daughter in sports-basketball studies. She is also in the Ukrainian national team which is playing in Latvia for ten days. There is no question that we stop our lives because of threats.
Are you going to change anything in your habits?
Nothing. Why do you want us to change? We have been living with war for eight years. We are not going to leave because, all of a sudden, there are tensions. And even if there is war, we don’t think it can be total war, we don’t hope. We have decided to stay.
In Kiev, do you not feel these signs of tension as there can be at the border with Russia?
It is true that for eight years, it is the Donbass which has been bombarded. We read the press, we are aware that we have the Russian army which is in Belarus, 100 kilometers from Kiev. But we are not going to panic. We are not going to give in to the game of the Russians. We will keep quiet and continue to live our Ukrainian life, as all Ukrainians do. After a while, you get used to it, you don’t believe that a total invasion can happen. And if it happens, we’ll deal with it, we’ll put ourselves in shelters and we’ll wait for it to pass. In all the scenarios considered, it is unlikely that this will be an intervention that will last in the long term. We hope the Russians aren’t crazy enough to invade Ukraine.
This attack by Russia, you don’t believe it at all?
If you believe it, of course. But what do you want? It’s our town. Leaving, to go where? I work here. I don’t think the country is going to be razed. I don’t think Kyiv is going to be completely wiped out. This perspective does not affect us. We don’t think that can happen. Yes, there may be some tense moments, there may be tanks in the streets, but for now, there is nothing at all. We will wait.