Moscow has set the bar very high in discussions with the West. In the event that the talks end in an impasse, many Ukrainians wonder if only military language will remain in the Kremlin, seven years after the start of the Donbass war.
With our correspondent in Kiev, Stephane Siohan
This weekend, the Christmas tree was installed on the forecourt of Saint Sophia Cathedral in Kiev in Ukraine. In the central markets, mulled wine stalls are always full. At first glance, everything seems calm and usual.
But as soon as locals dive into their smartphones, they are bombarded with disturbing information that Russia further hardens its military presence at the borders. And even if they are reluctant to talk about it openly, some Kieves, like Janna Maksymenko-Dovhysh, journalist and director, have decided to anticipate a disaster scenario.
Impossible to “draw plans for the future”
” Today was Saint-Nicolas, explains Janna Maksymenko-Dovhysh. My in-laws came to celebrate it with the children. The festive atmosphere quickly faded. We started to discuss what we were going to do if the war started. We decided to stock up on food, gas and survival supplies. We have a dacha outside of Kiev, and if necessary, we will take refuge there. Because in town, we live very close to the Kiev train station and it could be a dangerous place. On the one hand, it’s not the first time we’ve done this, we laugh a bit about it. But we understand that we are responsible for the family and the children. And that is already harder. ”
This does not mean that the war is necessarily for tomorrow, but many Ukrainians already integrate this possibility, in the more or less near future. On Friday, December 17, a poll found that 50% of those polled said they were ready to resist in one way or another in the event of a Russian invasion. As Janna says, ” unlike 2014, we are stronger, we no longer panic, but we are no longer able to draw plans for the future “.