In Ukraine ghost city, florist stays open to 'cheer people up'
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Military personnel at a barracks used by Ukrainian airborne troops that was attacked by Russian forces the day before in Mykolaiv, Ukraine, on March 8, 2022.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
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Published Mar 12, 2022, 12:34 PM
MYKOLAIV, UKRAINE (AFP) - Most business owners have shut up shop and fled Ukraine's Mykolaiv, but florist Angela Kalisnik continues to sell tulips and roses just a short drive away from the frontline.
"We didn't know the war was coming," says the 25-year-old.
"Flowers continue to bloom in our region and we don't want to throw them away."
Snow falls on the wide streets of the deserted city, and only a few people have ventured out in the bitter cold.
But inside Ms Kalisnik's shop, multi-coloured bouquets line the wall.
And against all odds, there have been customers.
A man steps out the door with a huge bouquet for his mother's birthday.
A few days ago, a passer-by dropped in to buy a bunch for a woman who had found and returned his lost wallet.
And many soldiers flocked in to buy flowers for their girlfriends for Women's Day on Tuesday (March 8), she says.
Ms Kalisnik says she closed her shop a week after Russia invaded her country on Feb 24, but then decided to open back up.
"War is war, but people continue to live, to celebrate birthdays," she says.
"We need to cheer people up and keep the economy going."
A short walk away, dozens huddle in a queue for an ATM. Some have been waiting for more than two hours.
Mr Vitaly is annoyed.
"I don't understand, two days ago, everything was normal," he says, without giving his second name.
"But now we can only take out 400 hryvnia (S$18.30) at a time", so have to withdraw several times in a row.
<p>CORRECTION / A view of the near deserted streets of Mykolaiv, a city on the shores of the Black Sea that has been under Russian attack for days on March 11, 2022. - Mykolaiv and its region have seen heavy fighting, but the Ukrainians are resisting and retook the local airport a few days ago. As the last major town before the great port city of Odessa, it is a vital strategic position. (Photo by BULENT KILIC / AFP) / The metadata of this photo by BULENT KILIC has been modified in AFP systems. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require.”</p>
PHOTO: AFP
No flowers for Russia
For several days, the Russians have bombarded Mykolaiv, which lies on the road to the strategic port city of Odessa some 130km down the Black Sea coastline.
At a news conference on Friday in front of the city hall, the young politician assures those attending that the Russians have been pushed back to 15 to 20km outside the city.
"They thought we'd welcome them with flowers, they didn't expect such resistance," says Mr Kim, who admits he did "not know anything about war 15 days ago".
Thousands of civilians have fled Mykolaiv in recent days, heading towards Odessa, which has so far been spared the bombardment.
The mass exodus has left the city near empty.
Most shops are closed and the supermarkets still open are starting to run low on pasta, rice and canned food.
Army chaplain Valentin prays the nightmare will soon be over.
"War is approaching but God willing, it will end quickly," says the man in his 50s.
Out on the street, an elderly woman called Valentina makes her way home with her daughter-in-law Maria.
They live together now after the men in the family went off to fight. They know that if the bombs start to fall, they should hide behind a strong wall or dive into the bathtub.
"We will win this war, God help us," Ms Valentina says.
