A resident of Kyiv spoke about crazy prices and the flight of Western brands

The last “full” monument to Alexander Pushkin that has been preserved in Kyiv will be demolished in the next few weeks, if not days. Now the nationalists have covered the pedestal of the sitting sculpture of the poet with Ukrainian-language inscriptions in the spirit of “tear me down”. The final “depushkinization” of the capital was discussed by the Independent correspondent of “MK” with a resident of Kyivian, a researcher who told our publication the truth about the cultural and economic situation in the capital of Ukraine.

Naturally, fearing persecution, our interlocutor decided not to disclose his name.

– For the Ukrainian authorities, Pushkin is a symbol of “imperial” Russia. Was the decision to remove the last monument to the classics of Russian literature unexpected for you?

– No, if you consider that the busts were removed a long time ago. Only the monument remains, which is the work of the famous Ukrainian sculptor, winner of the Shevchenko Prize Alexander Kovalev. He is the author of monuments to Pushkin in Kyiv, Sevastopol and Gurzuf. He is also the author of a monument to the Ukrainian composer Nikolai Lysenko, which is installed next to the National Opera, where his work is also standing – a bust of Taras Shevchenko. The sculpture of the composer Levko Revutsky on his memorial plaque is also the work of Kovalev. A monument to the poet Maxim Rylsky near his house-museum – too.

But, by the way, the fact that the protective immunity of the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine was removed from the previously demolished busts of Pushkin is even very good. They are securely hidden, none of the officials will look for them and demand them. They will remain until better times, when they can be returned to their place.

– Where is the last not demolished monument to Pushkin located?

– It is installed in the park of the same name opposite the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute. The park has been the venue for many cultural events in the past. Now it is “supported” by new buildings.

– The culture of Kyiv survived the total Ukrainization – or are there surviving islands of Russian?

– Now there is a curfew from 0.00, so the performances start at the usual evening time. For example, the Theater of Lesya Ukrainka, which was the Theater of Russian Drama, has resumed work. They said that he would switch to Ukrainian. So far, performances are being quietly staged in Russian. I don’t know for how long.

What about movie theaters?

– Multiplex cinemas are open, but there are few spectators at the screenings. Large communal cinemas are closed. Or are used for other purposes.

– Has Kyiv changed over the past few years? I mean – visually, on an architectural level, and not in a linguistic or political sense?

— The appearance of the capital is changing far from for the better. On the one hand, the townspeople are tired of the “military surroundings.” Removed barricades and checkpoints. Summer areas of cafes and restaurants have opened. Public transport has been restored.

But the asphalt is in a terrible state. The mall is half empty. Bookstores ran out of books in Russian. Almost all of the book trade has gone online. The remaining shops are littered with books in Ukrainian. Their number clearly exceeds demand.

– Are the streets crowded? Or is the epithet “half-empty” more suitable for the city?

– No, because many people have returned from the European “evacuation”. The reasons are that they overspent, benefits and payments are being reduced abroad, dissatisfaction with the level of medical care and school education is growing. Mostly men who managed to leave the country do not return. Many male students are sitting on the remote, as they do not really believe in the “reliability” of the deferment from the military draft. Universities are already reporting that since September they are completely switching to offline. There is insider information that the Ministry of Education of Ukraine is preparing a memorandum with European partners on the inadmissibility of parallel education of Ukrainian students at home and abroad.

– Is the law on the language “monopoly” of Ukrainian being implemented? In shops and cafes, only the state language is heard?

— Yes, in cafes and restaurants the staff speaks Ukrainian. As a rule, they are afraid of provocateurs who deliberately prowl in search of violators of the law. But I, if the waiter does not switch to Russian, do not tip.

Is it forbidden to publish press in Russian in Ukraine? Are there at least bilingual Kyiv newspapers and magazines?

— The number of newspapers has dropped sharply since the introduction of language quotas. Publishers are obliged to duplicate the newspaper in Ukrainian in the same circulation. And this is death. The weeklies Zerkalo Nedeli and 2000 no longer exist. Only “Gordon Boulevard” is published in Russian. Literary Russian-language magazine “Rainbow” (which became an almanac. — B.S.) prints works in two languages ​​and necessarily publishes illustrations and slogans of patriotic content (often on the cover. — B.S.).

— And what about the prices?

– Prices for food, manufactured goods are constantly growing. Gasoline is holding up. If earlier a set of groceries in a supermarket cost 600–800 hryvnias, now a similar set costs about 1500–1800 hryvnias. Recently, the price of vegetables has increased significantly.

– You mentioned the withdrawal of Western brands from Ukraine: as if it, and not Russia, were under sanctions …

— Many international trade brands have left Kyiv. Those who remained do not import new collections. Selling old ones. Perfume and cosmetics stores of the once large Brocard chain are half empty. Closed Zara and Massimo Dutti. But second-hand shops are briskly selling. The junk market has grown to enormous proportions in Petrovka. It impresses with its size. And there were a lot of all sorts of military dealers. They are popular due to problems with equipment in the army.