People expected “political operations” in terms of accepting the two separatist regions as part of Russia. But I don’t think the average person expected this ahead of time. When everything happened, people immediately ran to the banks to exchange their money for dollars. But I didn’t know anyone who expected this at such a level. After all, they said there would be a war with Ukraine. Well, probably some people might have expected this. The Russian government didn’t expect such serious sanctions. Were you preparing for something like this to happen? Did you take money out of your bank beforehand? This is just the beginning, in terms of how life is about to change. There are people who didn’t feel anything. But this is all coming from my perspective and the people around me. Some people lost jobs, or international offices closed. I just don’t think it’s the right decision. What would they do there? They are not really wanted there. Just to flee without family or friends in another country. That’s not a great solution, they didn’t think things through. In my opinion, many people are just fleeing without a plan or any financial backup.
People started using local banks and local bank cards. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.)Īnna Conkling: What has your day-to-day life been like in the past two weeks?ĭmitri: People are standing in line for cash, but there is no cash. Communication with a resident in Odessa, Ukraine, is in progress. (Editor’s note: This is the first of two interviews we will be posting in the next couple of days. He asked that his real name be withheld, because in Russia any act of opposition toward the war can result in arrest and imprisonment. We communicated with “Dmitri” earlier this week. Recently, a Crimean native who now lives in New York City put us in contact with a relative who lives in Moscow. In many countries, citizens have stood in solidarity with Ukraine, and even in Russia, where people live under an authoritarian government, there has been dissent. In that time, the world has turned its focus to the people who have been caught in the middle of the war, and the atrocities brought on by Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin. It’s been three weeks since Russia invaded Ukraine. From Crimea to this apartment on the Upper West Side to a family member in Moscow-what Putin has wrought.
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