Friends of activists firm on bringing change

Kiev, Ukraine

The two-month-old clashes in Kiev are witnessing the East European country’s youth standing firmly in favour of the protesters, unwilling to relent “until their demands are met”.

As protesters brave sub-zero temperatures, the youth from Kiev help them with food, medicines, warm clothing as well as by clearing roads of the snow and helping build barricades.

For 23-year-old Kiev resident Yulia Drozd and her friends, Maidaan (the Independence Square), where hundreds of protesters are camping, is a reflection of their thoughts.

What started “peacefully as a demonstration in support of association with the European Union” turned violent and Drozd firmly stands in favour of those who are protesting as it is “about saving our country”.

“We don’t want any violence but it’s quite difficult to negotiate with the authority when they started to kill people. For me it’s a matter of saving my country. We should do our best right now, people will not relent,” she says.

This may not be exactly what her parents think. “They feel they cannot really change much, but me and my friends, we don’t think that way.”

Every evening after work she and her friends visit the camp area to show solidarity with the protesters and help them with food and medicines. Until Monday, when Gulf News visited the main camp area, it was relatively peaceful. Braving sub zero temperatures, which were around -12C that day, hundreds of protesters, from 18-year-olds to those in their 70s, were putting up in make shift tents. The entire area had barricades, though it was not cordoned off until then. Those camping are living on broche (soup), sandwiches, tea and porridge. “They have come from all over Ukraine for this cause and staying here we are supporting them. We have homes, so we go back in the evening, but they stay here,” said Julia.

“We participate in the rallies, cook, help clear roads of snow, sometimes call the doctors who can help the injured or sick, help those who are camping contact with their families, get clothes for them, some of us set barricades using bags, benches on the streets, we keep visiting everyday,” said Ityna Sakhno, who works for a charity organisation. Feeling strongly about the situation, Ityna even stays overnight at the main protesting site.

Their parents are worried about their safety, but for them “a change is a must”.

Award winning Ukrainian writer Yuri Andrukhovych said: “The younger generation of Ukrainians, which grew up and matured in the post-Soviet years, organically rejects all forms of dictatorship. If dictatorship wins, Europe must take into account the prospect of a North Korea at its eastern border and, according to various estimates, between five and 10 million refugees. I do not want to frighten you. We now have a revolution of the young.”

The deaths of protesters have saddened the protesters and for the first time, Yulia says, she is a little scared.

“We never thought it would get to this. But we are ready for anything,” she sums up.

The writer is a staff reporter with XPRESS, a sister publication of Gulf News.