By: Kevin Fitzgerald
When I traveled to the city of Lviv in western Ukraine in the summer of 2023, I was struck by how ordinary the city felt even as the ongoing Russian invasion lingered in the background.
Many of the young people took to the streets of Lviv donning fashionable attire that almost seemed more appropriate for the Sunset Strip than a war-torn country. Vehicles passing through the streets often blared the sounds of club-inspired music. Even some sightseers who looked to be on vacation were seen marveling at the citys impressive architecture.
I never even heard any sounds of air raid sirens in the city during my stay, which must have also been a relief to the locals.
However, there were still reminders of the war most notably thesoldiers cemeteryand the protective barriers around some of the citys outdoor statues and other cultural landmarks that caught my attention during my stay.
Even with these reminders of war, Ukrainians have proven that life still must go on despite the persistent threats.
(If you want to know more about why I chose to go to Ukraine, you canclick hereto read another article I wrote.)
As Ive covered stories about Ukraine since Russias full-scale invasion began, Ive discovered other ways that Ukrainians have tried to maintain a sense of normalcy despite the war.
The Show Must Go On
Ukraine has always cherished its thriving performing arts scene, and even the war with Russia cant put an end to the show.
The Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet and the Kyiv Opera House still put on regular classical music concerts and ballet performances to entertain audiences and take their minds off the harrowing aspects of war for a while.
Some of Ukraines hottest pop music acts have shows scheduled at ATLAS, the ICCA October Palace and other popular venues around Kyiv, which remains one of Russias key targets.
An Athletic Feat
Sports still play a major role in Ukrainian life, and this is true for both recreational and professional sports.
Ukraines national football team continues to play in international tournaments, and smaller amateur leagues have resumed their games in different parts of the country.
Despite energy shortages caused by the war, many of the countrys indoor ice rinks that havent beendestroyedby Russian attacks continue to operate. Notable ice rinks that offer regular public sessions and other skating activities include theFIFTY Ice Arenain Kyiv and theKovzankarink inside Lvivs King Cross Leopolis mall.
Even some of Ukraines top Olympic-level athletes some of whom competed in last summers Olympics continue to live and train in Ukraine.
These Olympic athletes includegymnasts, rowers and track and field competitors, and some of these athletes used their platforms to raise awareness about the ongoing war in their country.
Some Holiday Magic
This past Christmas and New Years season, many parts of Ukraine continued their holiday traditions of lighting trees and staging other festive activities.
In Kyiv, the annualpublic Christmas tree lightingin Sofiyska Square drew many onlookers and provided more light to combat the darkness of war.
Other public Christmas tree lightings were held in Lviv and Odesa.
InDnipro, 17 kilometers of energy-efficient garlands were lit up on Dec. 20 to give the embattled city a little holiday magic.
Even in Kharkiv, which continues to sustain heavy Russian attacks, there were light displays around the city, and there was even anunderground Christmas treeinside the Freedom Square metro station.
A New Normal
Ukrainian citizens have had to learn to live a new normal in the face of war, but some traditions have remained even as the present and future remain uncertain.
Hopefully, Ukraine can still maintain some sense of normalcy until this terrible war comes to an end.
戰火下的烏克蘭如何保持常態
作者：Kevin Fitzgerald
Feb 25, 2025
2023年夏天，我前往烏克蘭西部的利沃夫市，令我驚訝的是，即使在俄羅斯入侵的陰影下，這座城市給人的感覺仍然非常平常。
許多年輕人走上利沃夫的街頭，穿著時髦的服裝，這些服裝似乎更適合日落大道，而不是一個飽受戰爭蹂躪的國家。街上行駛的車輛經常播放著充滿俱樂部風格的音樂。甚至一些看起來像是在度假的遊客，也在驚嘆於這座城市令人印象深刻的建築。
在我逗留期間，我甚至從未聽到過空襲警報的聲音，這一定也讓當地人鬆了一口氣。
然而，在我逗留期間我還是注意到那裡仍然有關於戰爭的提示最引人注目的是士兵公墓以及城市戶外雕像和其它文化地標周圍的防護屏障。
即使有這些關於戰爭的提示，烏克蘭人已經證明了，儘管有持續的威脅，但生活仍然必須繼續下去。
（如果您想了解更多關於我為什麼選擇去烏克蘭的信息，您可以點擊這裡閱讀我寫的另一篇文章。）
自從俄羅斯全麵入侵開始以來，我報導了很多關於烏克蘭的故事，我發現了烏克蘭人試圖保持一種常態的一些方式。
演出必須繼續
烏克蘭一直珍視其蓬勃發展的表演藝術場景，即使與俄羅斯的戰爭也無法阻止演出繼續進行。
利沃夫歌劇芭蕾舞劇院和基輔歌劇院仍然定期舉辦古典音樂會和芭蕾舞表演，以娛樂觀眾，讓他們暫時忘卻戰爭的痛苦。
利沃夫歌劇和芭蕾舞劇院以及基輔歌劇院仍然定期舉辦古典音樂會和芭蕾舞表演，以娛樂觀眾，並暫時將他們的注意力從戰爭的可怕方麵移開。
一些烏克蘭最熱門的流行音樂表演安排在基輔周圍的ATLAS、ICCA十月宮殿和其他受歡迎的場地演出，這些地方仍然是俄羅斯的主要目標之一。
一場體育盛事
體育運動在烏克蘭人的生活中仍然扮演著重要的角色，無論是休閒運動還是專業運動都是如此。
烏克蘭國家足球隊繼續參加國際比賽，一些規模較小的業餘聯賽也恢復了在該國不同地區的比賽。
儘管戰爭造成了能源短缺，但該國許多未被俄羅斯襲擊摧毀的室內滑冰場仍在繼續運營。值得一提的是，提供定期公眾和其它滑冰活動的滑冰場包括基輔的FIFTY冰上競技場和利沃夫國王十字利奧波利斯購物中心內的科夫贊卡滑冰場。
甚至一些烏克蘭頂級的奧運選手其中一些人參加了去年夏天的奧運會仍在烏克蘭生活和訓練。
這些奧運選手包括體操運動員、賽艇運動員和田徑運動員，其中一些運動員利用他們競賽中的身影來提高人們對本國正在進行的戰爭的認識。
一些節日魔法
在過去的聖誕節和新年期間，烏克蘭的許多地方繼續著他們的節日傳統，點亮聖誕樹並舉辦其它節日活動。
在基輔，索菲亞廣場上一年一度的公共聖誕樹亮燈吸引了許多圍觀者，樹上的彩燈並為對抗戰爭的黑暗比往常還要亮。
利沃夫和敖德薩也舉行了其它的公共聖誕樹亮燈儀式。
在第聶伯羅，12月20日，17公裏的節能花環被點亮，為這座飽受戰爭蹂躪的城市帶來了一點節日魔力。
即使在哈爾科夫，那裡持續遭受俄羅斯的猛烈襲擊，城市周圍也有燈光展示，甚至在自由廣場地鐵站內還有一棵地下聖誕樹。
一種新的常態
麵對戰爭，烏克蘭公民不得不學會適應一種新的常態，但即使現在和未來仍然不確定，一些傳統仍然存在。
希望烏克蘭能夠保持某種常態，直到這場可怕的戰爭結束。
