Kyiv

As we arrived in Kyiv this morning, we were greeted by light falling snow. The rail yard was covered by a light coating of fluffy white spaced between the incoming rail lines as we scurried off the train to meet our Ukrainian team. They were the same outstanding team that we worked with last year. Serhii, Andry, Lisa and Eugene greeted us on the platform as we stepped off. It was good to see them again.

The overnight train train ride was uneventful and I was able to get some sleep. As it was last year, we were escorted from Krakow by Liubov. There were no delays because there were no overnight air attack alerts en route and direct attacks on the rails are now uncommon. But the ride was as bumpy as usual thoroughly confusing my Garmin watch. We proceeded from the rail station to our hotel rooms after a late breakfast.   

I had opportunities to speak with people on the war. Some just want the war to be over. They are ok with an immediate ceasefire at the current line of contact, even though it means that Ukraine probably won’t get back the lands seized by the Russians. Some feel that they will win the war and are afraid that if they stop fighting, Russia will continue to commit war crimes like they did in Bucha. I also met an American who signed a contract to join the Ukrainian army and fight in the east. I don’t think that there is a Ukrainian ‘consensus opinion’ on the war other than that they all want Putin to go to jail or be killed. Sadly, this war will probably continue for a while longer.

Tomorrow we will go to an area that is less secure and we will need to be more cognizant of our surroundings. Please keep our team and all of the Ukraine in your prayers.