Watching a meteor shower in Kharkiv

 There is one good thing about a complete blackout after dark (other than adventurous night-time walks!) and that is being able to see the stars - as clearly, in Ukraine's second city, as if you were in the countryside. So the annual Perseid meteor shower, predicted to peak from Monday 12 August to Tuesday 13 August, was spectacular, viewed from my back garden after dark.

I missed having an outside space so I moved, a week ago, from my large Soviet-style apartment to a much smaller, but cosier, apartment with a wonderful outside area, containing flowers, pots, a vegetable garden and fruit trees - a true Ukrainian garden in the middle of the city. And I don't even have to maintain it - the owner's elderly parents come to look after it every few days.

The apartment is behind a small restaurant, past a bed containing sunflowers - the staff can often be seen taking a break beneath the umbrella...

The 10-minute walk to work is along a route with many semi-destroyed buildings, bombed in the first weeks of the full invasion, I believe. Contrast the beauty of my little garden with the nearest street corner...

It's hard to see how anyone could have survived the collapse of these three floors...

It's terrible to see - and there are similarly devastated buildings on many streets in Kharkiv, just left as they are, standing out like scars. But they're a reminder of what's happening every day in Ukraine and of why we're here. A week ago (6 August) a missile targetted yet another residential area in Kharkiv, leaving one person dead and twelve injured, including a baby. On the same day a grim new "anti-record" was reported in Ukraine's online Suspilne news: in Kharkiv Oblast (region) there were 517 shellings (the previous record being 360).

The Ukrainian incursion into the Kursk and Belgorod regions of Russia on 6 August, takes my breath away with its audacity. Just think about it...Ukraine has a land area of 603,700 square kms and a population of a little under 37 million (2023), whereas Russia is the largest country in the world, with a total area of 17,098,242 square km, and has a population of over 145 million.

And yet, not only did Ukraine managed to take Russia by surprise, but it now controls about 1,000 sq km of the Russian regions, a claim that has been largely confirmed by Russia. The advance brings the Ukrainian army closer to key Russian supply lines that are supporting its ongoing offensive in eastern Ukraine; as President Zelenskiy said, it pushes the war into Russia itself and is a fair response to the thousands of strikes on Ukraine's territory, launched from Russia's Kursk region. (https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/13/ukraines-incursion-into-russia-explained-in-maps-footage-and-photos).

Over the past several weeks there has been an attempt, in Kharkiv, to de-Russify the city of names, such as Pushkinska Street and subway station. The wonderful Maxim Gorky Park retains its name, although it's more commonly known as Central Park. I only discovered it a couple of weeks ago, just a half hour walk from where I live. It covers 300 acres, with beautifully maintained and watered grass - that you're not allowed to walk on! - trees and numerous lovely statues...

It's primarily known as the best theme park in Ukraine and one of the best in Europe but, not surprisingly, most of the rides and attractions have been closed since Russia's full invasion.

 

There is bomb damage to this building in the children's amusement area...

Probably my best find was the book corner, which I like to think was the idea of a British person, given the Shakespeare benches!

There is a free book exchange, where I actually found a couple of novels in English. I haven't, yet, come around to the idea of using a Kindle, or similar, and I've always had a fear of running out of books to read. And now, I also have somewhere to bring the books I've read...

August, so far, has been an exceptionally busy time for international volunteers, which, for me, has meant lots of meeting and greeting at the railway or bus stations. We have our first volunteer from the Czech Republic, and volunteers from as far away as Australia and Japan. In fact, our Japanese volunteer, Rintaro, made his mark in preparing a curry and Japanese-style dumplings for our monthly Hell's Kitchen social event.

Other volunteers use their practical skills, aside from making bread, e.g. to make new shelves for storing vegetables and other things. Every space in the small area of this kitchen has to be utilisied...

Currently, a small contingent of our volunteers is 'gutting' and renovating a donated bus, to transform it into a mobile "invincibility point," as they are called here, i.e somewhere where you can charge your electronic devices, warm up, have a drink and something to eat, etc., which will become more important in the winter months.

There is a small correction to the last post. I mentioned giving donations to a local charity, Adults for Children, to purchase medication for terminally ill children. This was a mis-translation on my part - they are children with lifelong illnesses who require ongoing medication. I will continue to support this voluntary organisation with my own, and any other, donations.

Finally, I had a lovely meeting with Anna, who I have sponsored for two years under the Homes For Ukraine scheme in England. Anna and her 14-year-old son come from a village in Kharkiv region; they are here for a couple of weeks, visiting family and having appointments, such as the dentist, which they can't get in England! It would never have crossed my mind, two years ago, that I would be meeting Anna (and her husband) in a cafe in Kharkiv! Due to personal circumstances, which will include me moving from my house in Trawden, the sponsorship has to come to an end and Anna will need to find independent accommodation. (And I will have no home other than in Ukraine, for now, which suits me fine.) My best memory of Anna was when she first arrived, enthusiastically picking heather on the moor, which is not, strictly speaking, allowed!

We're planning to visit Kharkiv Zoo, together with Anna's son, on Saturday.

To make a donation, please:

Open PayPal and, when asked for email, enter sunflower_house@hotmail.co.uk