March 02, 2022

Coping with the New Reality


Coping with the New Reality
"We are sorry. No war!" Image by the author.

This post is a contribution from a friend of Russian Life who lives in St. Petersburg. They requested that their name remain anonymous, for fear of reprisals.

February 28, 2022

I went to the protest yesterday, and I didn’t tell my mother about it. On the fifth day of the “spetsoperatsya” (special operation) in Ukraine, I’m still shocked, angry, ashamed, sad, and gloomy. 

We went out on the street on Sunday with friends, which really helped me to see that we are not alone and not afraid. Any public meeting is illegal these days. Political parties still can hold them, but they must request a permit from the city government, and all are denied because of COVID-19 and the adverse pandemic situation. But still, there are some activists who encourage citizens to protest. 

Anti-war protests have been taking place in St. Peterburg daily, ever since February 24, when the “special operation” began. I call it this because it's the official name, but of course I understand that it is a war. Protests mainly start near the Gostiny Dvor metro station. It’s a busy area that is hard to block because of its public transit importance.

A protest at Gostiny Dvor, before the author's arrival. | Sergey Goorin

We came a bit late yesterday, so some detentions had already taken place, loud music was on, people stood around, bewildered. The main crowd went down Nevsky Prospect and moved spontaneously, as it was clear from the Telegram channel of organizers. They had just given the directions and names of the streets. But crowds were blocked by the police, detentions took place, and people changed directions. So it was a very long walk (about two hours); we didn’t have the opportunity to peacefully stand at some square and cry out. Some made it all the way to Smolny. But we soon turned back to Nevsky when a random cyclist warned us about police trucks ahead. 

It really helped to calm my nerves a bit. We walked and cried out “No war!” on the narrow streets of St. Petersburg. Some cars honked, some people opened their windows and looked on with astonishment. We had talks on the way with friends about current events and politics. 

But current life still looks surreal. I have relatives in Melitopol, a city in the southeast of Ukraine (536 kilometers from Kyiv and 265 kilometers from the border with Russia). We called my mother’s cousin on the 24th, and later on I chatted with her son (my second cousin). They were calm, blamed the Ukrainian government for the aggression, and welcomed the Russian army. “I hope that after the recognition of the DPR and the LPR [Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples' Republics], all this conflict situation will end, unfortunately not without losses. This situation was predictable,” my second cousin wrote.

The protest on Nevsky Prospect. | Sergey Goorin

On the same day, I wrote to an acquaintance in Kyiv, who is the widow of my relative. She answered: “We are at home. We heard explosions the whole night. We are afraid... I know that Russians are not our enemies. My kids are shocked, my blood pressure is jumping. I didn’t believe this could happen.” I wrote her yesterday after the protest and she thanked me for the support. 

I’m trying to read less news so as not to get mad. I also reached out to several friends who have relatives in Ukraine. Olga from St. Petersburg (originally from Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia) said that she lost all her illusions about the current regime, but her parents are safe. Oksana from Voronezh (a city in the south of Russia) wrote that her relatives are hiding in a shelter, and she cries every day.

A walking St. Petersburg protest. | Image by the author.

At the same time, I’m shocked by the fact that many Russians agree with the invasion. The saddest thing is that my own mother supports it. The narrative of supporters is similar: “The civil war started there in 2014. The Ukrainian government treated the eastern regions badly; there were restrictions on Russian language and culture. The Russian army attacks only military objects; we are bringing peace there. There was no other way to resolve this conflict."

My friend organized a protest on the pedestrian street of Vasilevskiy Island (it’s in the city center, but demonstrations rarely happen there). She and several friends stood with “No war” posters at a distance from each other. The reaction was mixed. From words of support, hugs, and chocolates to aggressive words, accusations, and hot disputes. 

Police break up a protest at Gostiny Dvor. | Sergey Goorin

Such debates happen almost in every family. And while the real war is happening now in Ukraine, a new wave of civil confrontation is taking place in Russia. Aggression causes only aggression. And although I’m not a religious person, I pray for peace every day. 

Anti-war graffiti: "No war!" | Image by the author.


 

You Might Also Like

Our Top Sources for Ukraine News
  • February 27, 2022

Our Top Sources for Ukraine News

The situation in Ukraine is complex and constantly changing, so here are our top picks for where you can get the latest scoop.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of Our Books

Steppe / Степь

Steppe / Степь

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.
The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The Frogs Who Begged for a Tsar

The fables of Ivan Krylov are rich fonts of Russian cultural wisdom and experience – reading and understanding them is vital to grasping the Russian worldview. This new edition of 62 of Krylov’s tales presents them side-by-side in English and Russian. The wonderfully lyrical translations by Lydia Razran Stone are accompanied by original, whimsical color illustrations by Katya Korobkina.
Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

Davai! The Russians and Their Vodka

In this comprehensive, quixotic and addictive book, Edwin Trommelen explores all facets of the Russian obsession with vodka. Peering chiefly through the lenses of history and literature, Trommelen offers up an appropriately complex, rich and bittersweet portrait, based on great respect for Russian culture.
Murder at the Dacha

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.
Jews in Service to the Tsar

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.
22 Russian Crosswords

22 Russian Crosswords

Test your knowledge of the Russian language, Russian history and society with these 22 challenging puzzles taken from the pages of Russian Life magazine. Most all the clues are in English, but you must fill in the answers in Russian. If you get stumped, of course all the puzzles have answers printed at the back of the book.
Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

Maria's War: A Soldier's Autobiography

This astonishingly gripping autobiography by the founder of the Russian Women’s Death Battallion in World War I is an eye-opening documentary of life before, during and after the Bolshevik Revolution.
Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

Life Stories: Original Fiction By Russian Authors

The Life Stories collection is a nice introduction to contemporary Russian fiction: many of the 19 authors featured here have won major Russian literary prizes and/or become bestsellers. These are life-affirming stories of love, family, hope, rebirth, mystery and imagination, masterfully translated by some of the best Russian-English translators working today. The selections reassert the power of Russian literature to affect readers of all cultures in profound and lasting ways. Best of all, 100% of the profits from the sale of this book are going to benefit Russian hospice—not-for-profit care for fellow human beings who are nearing the end of their own life stories.
Survival Russian

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.
Murder and the Muse

Murder and the Muse

KGB Chief Andropov has tapped Matyushkin to solve a brazen jewel heist from Picasso’s wife at the posh Metropole Hotel. But when the case bleeds over into murder, machinations, and international intrigue, not everyone is eager to see where the clues might lead.
A Taste of Chekhov

A Taste of Chekhov

This compact volume is an introduction to the works of Chekhov the master storyteller, via nine stories spanning the last twenty years of his life.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
PO Box 567
Montpelier VT 05601-0567

802-223-4955