And they are so very brave.
Even as Air-Raid Sirens Blare, Ukrainians Wait for the Light to Change
Anyone new to Ukraine may quickly notice the disconnect between the front line and much of daily life farther away, including the patient behavior of pedestrians waiting to cross the street.
By Kim Barker
Fires still smoldered throughout Kyiv, Ukraine, after another record number of drone and missile attacks in the early hours of a recent Tuesday. But when an air-raid siren blasted out just before noon, pedestrians at a busy intersection did not scurry for cover or play chicken with traffic.
Mariam Mirakian, 25, waited patiently at the red light. So did everyone else. On the sidewalks of Ukraine’s capital, order ruled. “Yes, there are rockets flying and all the things, but still you can get killed by a car,” Ms. Mirakian said. “You’re just trying to live normally, trying to save as many normal things as possible, even in wartime.”
Anyone new to Ukraine notices the disconnect between the front line and much of daily life farther away. Complicated espresso drinks are still sold at gas stations; pizza and sushi are still on offer; and rave parties still rave, even if they end at 11 p.m., in time for the midnight curfew. The desire for order is core to how Ukrainians cope in this fourth year of Russia’s full-scale invasion.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/20/world/europe/ukraine-pedestrians-traffic-lights.html