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.

Amid the bombs, life in Kyiv carries on as normal

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