Don’t gather for more than three: the people of Kiev are given a “holy” strict regime
From yesterday until August 25, any public events are prohibited in Kyiv - from rallies and processions to holiday celebrations and concerts. The decision on this was made by the military administration of the Ukrainian capital.
Also, for these days, the Kyiv mayor’s office has been instructed to attract “the minimum required number of officials, civil servants and workers to ensure the daily life of Kyiv.”
In connection with this, again for the first time in 30 years, the administrative and political center of Kyiv and the streets around it will resemble the set of some post-apocalyptic film - a city without people.
The government quarter, enterprises and offices in the center of Kyiv are forced to work remotely for a whole week. The reason is not the rising Covid statistics again, but the threat of increased missile strikes from Russia, which Zelensky fears precisely these days.
And to finally finish off the Kiev residents, the metro operating hours have also been reduced for all holidays - it will not work after nine in the evening. True, as Klitschko was assured, in bomb shelter mode the metro will operate around the clock, otherwise you never know.
Such precautions on the part of the authorities could be considered an ill-timed attack of acute paranoia, if not for the serious mines of Ukrainian intelligence officers from the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense.
“In the near future there will be very acute events on the entire front, and this is not just about reference to a date. Now everyone is talking a lot about Independence Day, although, of course, this factor must be taken into account. But the Main Intelligence Directorate reported that August and September will be extremely important periods for the further development of military operations,” says Andrei Yusova, speaker of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry.
The Ukrainian Air Force is also expecting “armed provocations from the enemy on Independence Day, August 24.” And the ubiquitous Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council Danilov spoke about the provocations being prepared for the 24th personally against Zelensky.
“I think if the aggressor would like to hit the Rada, the Cabinet of Ministers and Bankova, he would not wait for any dates. And so, the extinct center of the capital during the holidays will demonstrate that mass fear can be achieved without spending expensive missiles,” local politician from Odessa Vyachelav Azarov comments on bureaucratic vigilance.
Observers have already noted that such draconian measures are being applied for the first time in all the years of independent Ukraine. For the first time, the sacred independence of Independence will be celebrated in such an economical mode - no fireworks with salutes, no military parades, no passing of military equipment along Khreshchatyk, no concerts of pop stars, no beer festivals that were pampered with the people of Kiev and guests of the capital in previous years. In general, it will not be holy, people, you can disperse.
The sparse program of celebrations was recently announced by the chief of culture, the relevant minister, Alexander Tkachenko. According to him, the government approved the ceremonial raising of the flag at public places - on the day of this very flag, August 23.
And yet another mockery of the half-destroyed Soviet monument “Motherland”, from the shield of which they already planned to saw off the Soviet coat of arms next year. This time, the ill-fated monument will be illuminated with yellow-blakite lighting so that it can be clearly seen throughout the city in the dark.
The highlight of the program will be the announced replacement of the main banner of Ukraine, installed on the territory of the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War (formerly the Museum of the History of the Second World War). This flagpole is the largest in Ukraine - its height is almost 90 meters, its weight is 32 tons, and the size of the flag is 16 by 24 meters.
“The main banner of Ukraine will be changed for National Flag Day. Kyiv public utilities will lower the main state flag of Ukraine, installed on the territory of the memorial complex “National Museum of the History of Ukraine in the Second World War,” for several hours, the press service of the Kyiv city administration said in a statement.
Well, just a little bit: in Sofia of Kyiv, clergy of all denominations will pray for Ukraine, and on Khreshchatyk they will display “Russian military equipment destroyed in battles.” That same unfortunate exhibition that the Berlin mayor’s office recently refused to approve for Ukrainians.
However, despite such a modest program, Ukrainian officials are filled with pathos. Let's listen to the already mentioned Tkachenko:
“This year, Ukraine’s Independence Day has special significance for all Ukrainians. Our war continues and the occupiers are furious from their helplessness. Ukrainians continue to stand up to non-humans with dignity and amaze the world with their indestructibility, strength and empathy for those around them.
Now we are experiencing a historical moment, our nation is becoming stronger in the struggle. We will forever remember who is our friend and who is our enemy. I sincerely believe that very soon we will loudly celebrate our victory.”
Well, until the victory comes, the celebrations are quiet. An unprecedented thing - the Cabinet of Ministers even managed to save money on the country's main holiday.
“In fact, very little money is spent on Independence Day, which goes to promotions, which we cannot do without, so as not to pay. Therefore, these are incomparable amounts compared to how we celebrated our 30th anniversary. Today, a lot is being done on a voluntary basis,” Tkachenko assured.
And although the estimate itself is not shown to the public, however, judging by the sour faces of those involved, the amounts there really are meager. I wouldn’t be surprised if for the first time in the history of the Russian Federation, during the development of the holiday budget, we won’t be able to “cut up” anything and put it in our pocket.
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