KYIV (Dagbladet): Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, the country’s capital Kiev has been exposed to more air strikes than it is now.
The flight alarm has sounded at least twice a day for the past twelve days and many of the alarms have been fatal.
In one week, at least ten people were killed in two separate drone strikes against central Kiev, but Ukrainians refuse to be terrified by Iranian kamikaze drones called Shahed-136.
Mocking nickname
On the contrary, the citizens of Kiev have given drones a derisive nickname:
– They are mopeds, says Miroslav Kryzj (37) to Dagbladet.
He owns Squat 17B, a cafe and bar, located in a courtyard just 100 meters from the playground where an Iranian kamikaze drone struck on Monday last week. The café and bar are located on the first floor, Kryzj himself lives on the top floor.
When the flight alarm went off, he didn’t react. Then she heard a sharp, rippling sound that came closer and closer. Then she hit.
– Parts of the drone wreck landed here in the back yard. It was even better that the attack happened in the morning. In the evening, many of our guests sit outside, says Kryzj.
– MOPEDS: The citizens of Kiev have given Iranian kamikaze drones a mocking nickname: Mopeds. Photo: Hans Arne Vedlog / Dagbladet
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Slow and noisy movement
The reason Ukrainians call Iranian mopeds Shahed-136 is the sound they make.
The Kamikaze drone is powered by two propeller blades and the sound it emits should be similar to a two-stroke engine. Also, drones are slow compared to rockets and missiles. The maximum speed is estimated at 185 km / h.
The Iranian drones will weigh a total of 200 kilograms, including the 40 kilogram warhead. They are 3.5 meters long and 2.5 meters wide and are GPS controlled. It is assumed that drones cannot change course after being launched and the target must therefore be stationary.
It is also uncertain how accurate the drones are.
The playground that was hit last Monday is several hundred meters from a university and even a few hundred meters away is the Ukrainian intelligence service SBU.
Ukrainian humor
During the war, Ukrainians showed a lot of humor in the face of enormous adversity. It is something that characterizes the Ukrainian people, says Ukrainian expert Arve Hansen, adviser to the Helsinki Committee.
– Ukrainians have a well-developed sense of humor and sarcasm, which has been developing for a long time. They don’t take themselves or their enemies too seriously and often joke about it, says Hansen, who earlier this fall published the critically acclaimed book “Ukraine – History. Humans. War.”
He says this is both a way for Ukrainians to deal with serious events, but also a way to build unity and motivation.
– By laughing at the enemy, the enemy becomes less scary and easier to fight, says Hansen.
– Put on a lot of shit
Although 37-year-old Kryzj and many other Ukrainians mock and mock drones, the latest drone strikes have brought some seriousness back to Kiev.
– After eight months of war, we saw a lot of shit. Our skin is thick now, but the attacks remind me and many others that the war continues, day after day. He also reminds us without a uniform that we need to do even more to help, says the 37-year-old.
When the war broke out, Kryzj invited his employees to live in the bar and cafe. With a bomb shelter in the neighboring building, he was attractive to many.
Later, the 37-year-old opened the doors to starving Ukrainian soldiers. The staff prepared and served food for free until everyone was served.
Then Kryzj and the nightclub began organizing concerts and exhibitions to raise funds for the Ukrainian war effort. So far they have raised two million Ukrainian hryvnia, about NOK 600,000, says Kryzj.
– It is much easier to live with fear, when you can contribute something, he says.
