Editor’s note: The Kyiv Post asks people in Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, two cities in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast that were occupied by the Russian-backed separatists for several months in 2014, how they feel about the upcoming Independence Day and whether their attitude have changed after Russia annexed Crimea and unleashed its war against Ukraine?
Viktoria Tishenko
nurse in Kramatorsk
“I started to appreciate Independence Day more after the war started in 2014. We all became more patriotic, and started to appreciate our homeland. I will probably go to the (Independence Day) concert with my family, we always have very nice musicians performing there.”
Vladimir Tkachenko
cultural worker in Kramatorsk
“My family and I will celebrate as usual: we’ll go to the events prepared by the city council. I appreciated Independence Day before the war started in 2014, so my attitude towards it hasn’t changed. You can meet people in Kramatorsk who appreciate this day, and some who don’t, but for the city it was always a holiday.”
Arina Nakonechnaya
student in Kramatorsk
“Me and my boyfriend will go to the 95 Kvartal performance (of stand-up comedians) in Bernadsky Garden. More people have started to attend public events and celebrate this holiday, but in general nothing changed much.”
Vladyslav Kravtsov
student in Kramatorsk
“For me, July 5, when the city was freed (from the Russian-separatist forces), is a bigger holiday than Independence Day. We always celebrated Independence Day on Aug. 24, so it’s became something more usual, like Easter and New Year. On Aug. 24 I will lay flowers at the memorial to (Ukraine’s) soldiers, located between Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, and attend a charity concert for veterans.”
Oleksandr Begunov
roller-skating teacher in Kramatorsk
“On this Independence Day, I will perform with my roller show. The most patriotic holiday for me was the celebration of the liberation of Kramatorsk in 2014, when I returned to the city and there was no water or electricity, but people organized a celebration for children. No other celebrations are comparable to this one.”
Andrii Ruban councillor in Sloviansk
“I have several options: to go to my friends in another city, to relax somewhere close to nature, or to join in the celebration on the square. After the war started, I changed not only my attitude to Independence Day, but towards life in general. I speak Russian, but I’m still a patriot, and I appreciate my country. I hope that after the war more people begin to appreciate Ukraine as I do, but the reality is that many still support Russia or separatism.”
Inna Zaitseva
post office worker in Sloviansk
“I want to spend time with my family. I’m more concerned about finding new job than any kind of celebrations. For me, when we speak about Ukraine’s Independence, we’re also talking about employment for the people. The post office department where I work will move to Kramatorsk next month, and people will lose their jobs. I’m a citizen of this country, and I think that the country should take care of me.”
Tamara Nazarenko
bank employee in Sloviansk
“I will celebrate Independence Day with my daughter at home. People are tired of the war, we want to see happy faces, stability and Sloviansk blossoming. People have suffered enough, and even now everyone feels the presence of war – people are scared to go out at night. People will celebrate Independence Day not in the city centre, but at home.”
Viktor Kompanichenko
student in Sloviansk
“After the war started I began to appreciate Independence Day and my country more, and I became more patriotic and interested in Ukrainian traditions. I will probably go to the parade or other official celebrations.”
Lidia Safonova
retiree in Sloviansk
“I will go to the health retreat in Sviatogirsk with my daughter. Independence Day for me equals peace and aspiring for a better life, so I think people have started to celebrate this holiday more.”
Vlad Polsky
construction worker in Sloviansk
“I think people have started to be more indifferent to this holiday. Before the war started, the city was in a festive mood, but now it’s neutral. People are more concerned now with their problems and with prices, which have gone up.”
