# Defiance, tears, trepidation: Ukraine’s capital awakens after Russian troops withdraw Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-04-07 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: Ukrainians Return to Kyiv After Russian Troop Withdrawal Meta Description: Ukrainians reunite with families, assess homes in Kyiv as Russian forces withdraw; lingering safety concerns loom URL: https://financedigest.com/defiance-tears-trepidation-ukraines-capital-awakens-after-russian-troops-withdrawhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-04-07t144226z1lynxnpei360txrtroptp4ukraine-crisis-1736815895695-compressed.jpg) By Elizabeth Piper and Stefaniia Bern KYIV (Reuters) – Laden with bags, trolleys and the odd pet, Ukrainians are returning to the capital Kyiv, some tearful, others nervous about going home after Russian troops withdrew from the outskirts of their city. A week after Russian forces pulled out of villages to the north of Kyiv, leaving behind razed buildings and corpses in some of the streets, officials have warned people not to return to the capital quite yet, fearful of a renewed offensive. Yet for several of those returning on Thursday at the busy main train station in central Kyiv, the desire to see elderly parents or to continue their [jobs outweighed any lingering safety](https://www.financedigest.com/philips-to-cut-13-of-jobs-in-safety-and-profitability-drive.html "Philips to cut 13% of jobs in safety and profitability drive") concerns. Some workers returned without their families, leaving wives and children in the relative safety of [western Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/analysis-russian-gold-removed-from-some-western-funds-after-ukraine.html "Analysis-Russian gold removed from some Western funds after Ukraine"), others were making a quick dash to pick up more of their belongings and cars before heading out again. A few said they had returned to stay, at least for now. I want to [see my parents](https://www.financedigest.com/like-father-like-son-when-it-comes-to-money-men-more-likely-than-women-to-see-parents-as-a-good-role-model.html "Like father like son? When it comes to money, men more likely than women to see parents as a good role model"), they’re elderly,” said Olena Oleshyntseva, who arrived at Kyiv’s train station after staying in neighbouring Moldova for safety. She started to cry as she whispered: “I am their daughter.” For 24-year-old Ksiusha Lysyk, who works as a manicurist, the feeling was the same. She just wanted to see her parents. I [missed Kyiv, I missed home,”](https://www.financedigest.com/buyers-would-be-barking-mad-to-miss-out-on-new-bellway-homes.html "Buyers Would Be Barking Mad To Miss Out On New Bellway Homes") she said. On a sunny Thursday, there were more signs of something more akin to [normal life returning](https://www.financedigest.com/final-salary-pensions-at-risk-due-to-new-normal-of-sluggish-economy-and-low-returns.html "Final salary pensions at risk due to ‘New Normal’ of sluggish economy and low returns") to Kyiv. Joggers headed out for their morning runs, women walked together with their dogs and the church bells summoned [believers to a morning service](https://www.financedigest.com/94-of-financial-services-executives-believe-boards-have-bought-into-blockchain-synechron-survey-shows.html "94% of Financial Services Executives Believe Boards have bought into Blockchain, Synechron survey shows"). Some played chess in the park as an [air raid](https://www.financedigest.com/food-of-the-future-london-air-raid-shelter-to-underground-farm.html "Food of the future: London air raid shelter to underground farm") siren sounded. Six weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine getting to within 20 km (12 miles) of Kyiv, many of the shops along the [capital’s main Khreshchatyk thoroughfare remained closed](https://www.financedigest.com/galois-capital-flagship-fund-to-close-after-ftx-losses.html "Galois Capital flagship fund to close after FTX losses"). Army checkpoints and roadblocks still punctuate roads in the city, reminding residents that a return to normal [life may still be a way](https://www.financedigest.com/valuable-ways-to-get-your-children-ready-for-college-life.html "Valuable Ways to Get Your Children Ready for College Life") off. ‘WHY BE SCARED OF THE DEAD’ Around half the population of Kyiv, a city of about 3 million before the war, have fled, the city’s mayor Vitali Klitschko said earlier this month, warning people to give it a little [time before returning](https://www.financedigest.com/ogrady-to-return-to-bank-of-ireland-as-ceo-irish-times.html "O’Grady to return to Bank of Ireland as CEO – Irish Times"). But even beyond Kyiv, in its surrounding towns and villages, the desire to return home is strong. In Bucha, where [Ukraine accuses Russian](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-grants-citizenship-to-top-russian-journalist-who-denounced-war.html "Ukraine grants citizenship to top Russian journalist who denounced war") troops of killing some civilians, Oleksandr Pulnev, 38, picks through what remains of his apartment for the first time since March 9. A television, a wifi router and his laptop have gone, he said. Picking up his wife’s pink sneakers from a pile of clothes strewn across the floor of his flat, Pulnev said it would take [time to put everything back](https://www.financedigest.com/its-time-for-a-branding-re-set-getting-back-to-basics.html "It’s Time for a Branding re-set – Getting Back to Basics") together. “It’s just unbelievable,” he said, pointing to the way his apartment door was ripped off its hinges. Russia [says it launched a “special military operation”](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-sets-5g-goal-says-no-magic-number-of-operators.html "Britain sets 5G goal, says no ‘magic number’ of operators") to disarm and “denazify” Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the invasion was illegal and unjustified. Moscow denies targeting [civilians in Ukraine](https://www.financedigest.com/ukraine-says-first-civilians-killed-in-lviv-fighters-cling-on-in-mariupol.html "Ukraine says first civilians killed in Lviv, fighters cling on in Mariupol") and has said the deaths in Bucha, in the Kyiv region, were a “monstrous forgery” staged by the West to discredit it. Back in the capital, at Zhytniy market, one of Kyiv’s oldest, in a crumbling Soviet [building where the floors](https://www.financedigest.com/ireland-to-turn-heat-down-in-public-buildings-shut-empty-office-floors.html "Ireland to turn heat down in public buildings, shut empty office floors") are uneven and the counters are cracked, the rows of stalls, selling fruit, meat, cheese and even socks are slowly filling up again. Ihor Ostapenko, who runs a stall selling fruit, vegetables and herbs collected from around the Kyiv region, was defiant about the possible threat of a renewed invasion and dismissive of the warnings from city [officials as he returned to work](https://www.financedigest.com/eu-us-working-on-deal-to-make-ev-minerals-eligible-for-tax-credits-eu-official.html "EU, US working on deal to make EV minerals eligible for tax credits -EU official"). There are fewer [people these days,”](https://www.financedigest.com/over-a-third-of-uk-people-think-thomas-whitmore-from-independence-day-will-be-joined-by-donald-trump-in-disneys-hall-of-presidents.html "Over a third of UK people think Thomas Whitmore from Independence Day will be joined by Donald Trump in Disney’s Hall of Presidents") he said, as he laid out handfuls of herbs. “Why should we be scared? Russia has gone. Why should we be scared of dead bodies?” Cafes and restaurants are reopening, with one restaurant, ZigZag, in Kyiv’s hipster district, once again setting up tables and chairs on the pavement outside. “There are many more people now. Many people have returned to Kyiv. About two weeks ago the city was completely empty, devoid of people,” said Kostia Yastreb, a manager at the cafe. “A week ago, there were 20 people a day. Now we are welcoming about 60 people a day, and the [number will continue to rise](https://www.financedigest.com/turkey-courts-the-worlds-golfers-as-tourism-numbers-rise-significantly.html "Turkey courts the world’s golfers, as tourism numbers rise significantly"), I’m sure. But for those who have stayed, there is still an uneasy [feeling that may take time](https://www.financedigest.com/decision-making-in-times-of-crisis-should-they-be-based-on-gut-feeling-or-data.html "Decision-making in times of crisis: should they be based on gut feeling or data?") to overcome. Mikhailo Smetana, a graphic designer, packed his and his wife’s things after the [Russian invasion](https://www.financedigest.com/stocks-extend-sell-off-as-u-s-warns-of-imminent-russian-invasion-of-ukraine.html "Stocks extend sell-off as U.S. warns of imminent Russian invasion of Ukraine") on Feb. 24 but never felt it was the right time to leave. I don’t regret that we didn’t leave,” he said outside the backstreet cafe where he volunteers providing food to the elderly who, when the local shops closed because of the invasion, couldn’t [buy food](https://www.financedigest.com/european-food-delivery-shapes-up-with-getirs-gorillas-buy.html "European food delivery shapes up with Getir’s Gorillas buy"), and shelter for those who had fled eastern Ukraine in the building’s large basement. “I only unpacked this morning.” (Additional reporting by Mari Saito in Bucha; Writing by Elizabeth Piper; Editing by Janet Lawrence) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---