A Week in Chernihiv
I decided to take a break from kitchen work and coordinating the volunteer schedule, and come to Chernihiv for a week's break. Chernihiv is 150 km (93 miles) northeast of Kyiv, a small but beautiful, interesting city, It was first mentioned in historic records in 907, but a rchaeological excavations indicate that it existed at least as early as the 9th century ( i.e. more than 300 years before Moscow!) It has many lovely churches, the remains of a citadel, overlooking the Desna River, and a beautiful square, called just this in Ukrainian! " Красна площа " (Beautiful square). As with many places in Ukraine, Chernihiv has a traumatised, much reduced population, following its brutal occupation during the first weeks of Russia's full-scale illegal invasion in 2022. Tanks also rolled into surrounding villages, destroying property and, in some cases, herding the civilian population into school basements. Atrocities and deaths occurred. My friend, Ala...