Maria Botcharova

Maria Botcharova is a British-Ukrainian strategist, writer, and volunteer who divides her time between London and Kyiv. She co-directs the non-profit Medical Life Lines Ukraine.

Sunday

Maria Botcharova

Wartime love is not for the faint-hearted in Kyiv

People say love develops more quickly in war – because in a world where anything can happen, what is there to lose? Single and in Kyiv for a while, I decide to swallow my distaste for dating apps and start swiping. The first thing I notice is how many men are from Turkey and based a thousand miles away. How would this work? I decide to focus on the local ones and start chatting to a couple of guys. One seems reasonable if a little forward. He suggests meeting pretty quickly, then calls to chat. I don't really know Ukrainian norms but frankly, hearing someone's voice gives me faith that they are real. Dima is a lawyer. We arrange to meet at a metro station at seven the next evening. He has made peach ice cream and is going to bring some. A meeting feels like a good start.

Saturday

Maria Botcharova

Amid the bombs, life in Kyiv carries on as normal

From our UK edition

How do you convey the oddness of Kyiv during Russia's invasion of Ukraine? The reality of living under the constant threat of drones and missiles, combined with the undeniable fact that life continues as normal for most of the time? Kyiv isn’t just bombs. It’s pet grooming salons with neon signs and coffee shops called '202 Degrees Fahrenheit'. It’s WiFi signal that doesn't fail, matcha tea with your choice of milk, ride-sharing apps and electric scooters. The city is as cool as the coolest corner of Shoreditch. Almost the first thing I do when I arrive is explore the bomb shelter underneath my flat. It's surprisingly clean and recently renovated – a step up from the bare bricks and water pipes you might expect of a basement. There’s a kettle, free Wi-Fi and power sockets.