Dark Christmas – Putin’s war changes traditions in Ukraine

It takes some effort to light up the Christmas tree in the arrivals hall of Kiev’s main train station. But men, women and children are patiently lining up to pedal an energy bike and use it to illuminate the wired beauty. Suddenly it also gets lighter in the hall – and more Christmassy.

Kiev sinks into a bewildering darkness
With Russian President Vladimir Putin bombing Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for weeks, power outages in Kiev and other Ukrainian cities are extreme. Without daylight, the metropolis of Kiev sinks into a bewildering darkness. People with flashlights search the steps in black tunnels to avoid falling. There is no consistent lighting on the street, at most small light sources that hardly provide orientation. The mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, promises again and again that full efforts will be made to restore the infrastructure destroyed by the “Russian terrorists”. But no one escapes the blackouts.

Last Tuesday, Klitschko had to admit that the city of three million inhabitants could only meet 50 percent of its electricity needs due to the Russian attacks. For example, there is help at the train station or other points in the city where people can warm up or charge their mobile phones and power banks. Hotels and restaurants help themselves with electricity generators; In many places, decorated trees light up dining rooms and English carols blare over music systems. But the fear is that the diesel for the generators will run out again.

In the luxury department store Tsum in Kiev on Khreshchatyk boulevard, the saleswomen in the perfumery and other chic boutiques are groping in the dark. The few customers grab their mobile phone and turn on the flashlight app to get a better look at their sunglasses or handbag. The escalators are standing still. Security guards make sure nothing is stolen in the dark – nothing like the Tsum Temple of Consumption in Moscow, where everything is lit up.

“We will not let Christmas spoil us”
“We’re not going to let that bastard in the Kremlin ruin Christmas for us,” said Alla, owner of a downtown Seawine wine shop. She says her customers buy fine wine and sparkling wine for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. “We celebrate Christmas on December 25, just like the normal rest of the world,” she says. Traditionally, however, the Orthodox Christians in Ukraine – as in Russia – follow the old Julian calendar and celebrate on January 7.

“It’s the old world, it’s the die-hards,” says Alla in her native Russian. In any case, she emphasizes that – because of the war – she is done with Russian culture. Christmas on December 25 is also a good day to make the break with warlike Russia even more concrete.

Almost every second calls for moving parties
Alla is not alone in this opinion. According to a new survey by the ratings group, 44 percent in Ukraine support the idea of ​​moving Christmas celebrations from January 7 to December 25, compared to just 15 percent in 2017. The idea is particularly popular in western Ukraine, in Kiev and among young people. In return, the majority shrinks in favor of keeping the Orthodox Christmas date. 55 percent of Ukrainians want to continue to celebrate traditionally on January 7 exclusively. In 2021 that was still 71 percent.

“There is a clear trend: Ukraine is moving its vector to the west,” says deputy director of Rating Group Lyubomyr Mysiw. “This is a clear consequence of the war, behavior changes due to Russian aggression. Many people don’t want to celebrate Christmas when the Russians celebrate it,” he says. According to the research, the share of Ukrainians who celebrate Christmas Day around December 25 has also fallen. Only a third are against – instead of 58 percent a year ago.