If you are thinking about visiting Ukraine as a tourist, then don't! The country is at war, and it is dangerous. Neither life insurance, disability insurance nor travel insurance cover.
About every other night there are air raids, which may last two or three hours, see www.ukrainealarm.com. You can download an app called "Tryvoha" which will warn you.
The country is at war, but in Kyiv you have to look hard to discover it. Public institutions are guarded by armed police. There are many soldiers in uniform, also many grey-haired. I saw two soldiers with crutches.
In September 2023, Kyiv showed its best side with sunny weather, not too hot, and lots of life in the street scene. Due to the war, no alcohol is served after 9 pm.
Below are sections on Travel in Ukraine and Kyiv in Sunshine.
At the border you can apply for Ukraine's International Legion
Destroyed, Russian tanks on display in Mykhailivska Square in Kyiv.
In the Maydan square in Kyiv you can buy a flag and write names on it in honor of killed family members.
Sign showing the way to an air raid shelter (ukrittya).
Sign showing the way to an air raid shelter.
All monuments are hidden behind sandbags. Here is a couple that is still visible.
Because of the war there is no travel by air in Ukraine, so you must travel by train or bus. Here is a couple near the central train station in Kyiv. The woman has been flying to an airport in Poland. Her husband has received her and has given her a bouquet of flowers. Young men are not allowed to leave the country.
Notice the high-rise on the right. It is damaged, probably from a missile attack.
At Przemysl train station in Poland near the border to Ukraine. The Polish trains to and from the Ukrainian border are fully booked.
There are only few trains crossing the border. They are fully booked long in advance, so you must travel by marchrutky (minibus) between Przemysl in Poland and Lviv in Ukraine and cross the border on foot.
The marchrutky driver collects the fee. You pay 150 hryvnia (3 euro) for the 80 kilometres between the border and Lviv.
Departures from the central station in Kyiv. The text changes between Kyrillian and Latin once every minute.
Andriyivskyy uzviz and Andriyivska Church
Maydan square
There are many beautiful buildings built 1900-1910 in Art Nouveau style, here in Vlodymyrska vulitsya.
Decayed factory in Art Nouveau style in Kyrylivska vulitsya, Podil.
There are pedestrian tunnels under all major roads.
Buskers in Serbska vulitsya in Lviv.
Buskers near Andriyivska Church in Kyiv.
Heavy transport by bike
Pizza delivery by monowheel
Wall in Velyka Zhytomyrska vulitsya
Grafitti seen in Podil.
Soviet import of technology: "Kyiv" cameras, a direct copy of a German Leitz camera from the 1930s.
Soviet import of technology: Moskvitch 300 from 1950, a direct copy of a German Opel from the 1930s.
Botched conversion from Kyrillian: Unstressed "o" is pronounced "a" in Ukrainian, hence this typo.
Shawarma is spelled "Shaurma" in Ukrainian, so why not do the same when writing it in the Latin alphabet?
