Just two stories from Ukraine

Back in March, I brought a daily diary, by Yevgenia Belorusets from Kyiv to your attention.  It went silent nearly two weeks ago.  But news from Ukraine is unremitting, and none of it good. 

I thought it would be good to remember that Ukrainians are so much more than victims, and fighters for their country.  They have towns, cities and countryside that are important to them.  They have a cultural life that mustn’t be extinguished.  Here are two stories to remind us of that.  The first is from the Guardian’s Country Diary last week.  Here, Olexandr Ruchko describes the annual arrival of the storks to his homeland.

This stork is in Spain.  But his cousins are now in Ukraine.

The next is about a children’s choir, the Shchedryk Children’s Choir, Kyiv.

Do have a look at their website, and listen to the two pieces you’ll find there.  They’d like you to share this site, and share it again, so their music continues to live on, even though the choir members are scattered: https://choiroftheearth.com/shchedryk-childrens-choir-kyiv

Many of you, by ‘liking’ a previous post, enabled me to give a donation to World Central Kitchens, which works in Ukraine and disaster zones throughout the world. Here‘s a link, in case you too are interested in donating.

My header image recalls the Ukrainian flag.  Though this image was taken in North Yorkshire, it reminds us that Ukraine is, in normal times, the Breadbasket of Europe.

As it happens, Brian Butler, in his engaging Travel Between the Pages blog, features today a short video of Kyiv, as it experienced a normal day, only last summer. You can view it here.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

34 thoughts on “Just two stories from Ukraine”

    1. Have you been there, Peter? It seems indeed to be and interesting country, proud of its traditions. If Putin’s done one thing, it’s to make Ukrainians determined to hang together asa united people. At what price though ….

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  4. Such heart-rending days not only for Ukrainians but also us fellows like us who can just sympathise, creat awareness or donate. Thank you for this Margaret. The stork too looks really sad. 😔

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  6. A lovely video. Makes you sick to the stomach to see the devastation Putin is causing. Thank goodness Kyiv hasn’t been badly damaged. Let’s hope people will be able to return to their homes soon.

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  7. Thanks for the links. It’s good to be reminded that there is a lot more to this country, which we read about on a daily basis. I know surprisingly little about their culture and have been meaning to look out for some Ukrainian literature.

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  11. I have waited to read this important post until I could properly follow up the links. I’m glad that I did. Such a range of emotions generated by each of them. It is the symbol of the storks I shall raise above the anger, despair, grief… A symbol of hope.

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  12. So good to be reminded of culture when main news all about war and war and, maybe, a small piece about agriculture. There’s something wholesome and optimistic about storks, what an excellent choice for a national bird, their return bright and hopeful in all the darkness.

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    1. Poor storks. What CAN they make of it all? And I often wonder about those ares of the country not yet directly affected by war. How is life for them as the daily infrastructure battles with collapse?

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      1. It is very hard to listen to the news. I heard an interview just now where a Ukrainian woman blamed all the old men, and I thought history just keeps repeating itself.

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