Kyiv, what is life really like right now? 🇺🇦

This is like a vehicle that was trying to take Kyiv. Yeah, yeah. It made it to the streets of Kyiv, fortunately, in Ukrainian hands. So Ukraine has captured huge numbers of Russian tanks. Enormous, enormous. Enormous numbers. We have captured more tanks than we have received from the Western countries. Do we have a protocol at the moment? Uh, listen to this guy. This behind me is Tower 101. Very tall office building here in central Kyiv. It's one of the first sights I saw after arriving at the train station. It's about a one-minute drive from there, just a couple blocks away. And it was hit by the Russians, the whole side of the building. It also struck some of the lower buildings, the homes near the base of it. There were casualties. I'm not sure how many, but thankfully, the entire building was not full at that time. You can imagine the, I mean, I just, there's no words. You just, you look and you see this area isn't shut down or anything. This is still a thriving central street in Kyiv. But what I want to show you today is some of the beautiful architecture that exists in the center of this amazing city. On my way to Kyiv, when I told a friend I was coming to Kyiv, he sent me a message and said, well, welcome to the greatest city on the continent. The continent being Europe. Ukraine is not part of the European Union, but it's a city that identifies very much with this continent. Sees this city, Kyiv, as being a very important cultural hub, which it clearly is. This entire part of the city is filled with rich history. And see that little espresso bar in the middle of that epic structure behind me. They sure love their coffee in this country, that is for sure. Joe, you've been to Kyiv a few times. Yeah, many times. What's your take on the city? Well, here, this is one of the ancient, I mean, right, this church that we just looked at, St. Michael's Golden Dome Monastery. This church originally was 1,000 years old, but the Soviets destroyed the entire place. Wow. In the 90s, they rebuilt it. Kyiv is, it's a mystical city. I mean, it's older, by the way, than Moscow, older than Russia. Back to Russia would perhaps like people to forget. Well, yeah, yeah. But I think it's part of the reason why Putin wants Kyiv so much, because it's the spiritual home of the Slavic people. And as we'll see up here, there's a statue of Vladimir the Great. He was a great Slavic prince and king that brought Christianity to this region. So this was the heart of the people called Kyivan Rus. It was a huge empire 1,000 years ago. And this city still has Kyiv, as you'll see, Dan, as we go around. I mean, it's a very modern city. Like, for example, we took the train, and you just put your debit card to get to the, you don't have to buy a ticket. Yeah. It's very modern, but it's also, it's a city with a deep and ancient soul. If you were speaking Russian, you'd say Vladimir, but in Ukrainian, Vladimir the Great. This is where the Kyivan Rus became baptized as Christians, right here at this spot on the, you know, in the summertime, before the war, the beaches would be crowded, because you can swim in the water. Wow. Ukrainians who died in the first eight years of the war. So from 2014, after Russia took Crimea and parts of Donbass. And also Ukrainians who died in, the hundreds who died in the revolution. First alarm since last Wednesday. That's it. Yeah, keep going, man. a bit a bit of bit of bit of strange symbolism here just as Joe was pointing out we're passing by a monument to fallen soldiers from the past over the past eight years I've just heard my first air alarm here in Kiev I don't need to really say anything you can hear it for yourselves listen to this guy no reason you see no one runs yeah no one runs and it said non-running and non-panic that gives everyone strength yeah so up here these are cashew Russian tanks and you'll see as we turn left you'll see the other that this is the original st. Sophia this is sort of the heart of Slavic it is the heart of Slavic Christianity it was modeled after highest Sophia in Istanbul is built over a thousand years ago this church is older than Moscow and it's the Cathedral st. Sophia sorry to cut you off Joe that's kind of interesting we're seeing an American we're seeing a British flag as well this is a guy from the Georgian Legion with Ukraine they've been fighting with Ukraine since 2014 but also many see how many of these guys died in 2014 yeah it's so this is a live update this is the whole of Ukraine which is currently under the the alarm system first time since last week so that that indicates even back in Libya they're here yeah we know missiles they can reach anywhere in Ukraine so a bit earlier Joe was referencing the revolution in 2014 we just walked out of the church and we saw these burnt up destroyed vehicles tanks specifically behind me and I thought they might have been from 2014 but no these are Russian vehicles from this year which have been captured and they've been left here in central Kiev as a clear symbol of defiance against the Russian military aggression and it's it's I mean what else can I say it speaks for itself look at this you can repeat in English huh but uh Putin we low is uh Ukrainians don't like to swear but they guess you can swear about Putin how's it translate Putin's a dick yeah Putin we know interesting interesting history it was destroyed as a result of an artillery strike on accumulation of military vehicles in the Russian forces at the Antonov Airport nearby Hostomel suburb of Kiev okay so this is what this is early when they were pushing all the way to Kiev yeah yeah so this isn't like a transplant from the east this is like a vehicle that was trying to take Kiev yeah it would have been on it made it to the streets of Kiev fortunately in Ukrainian hands but this is what these are rolling down through the neighborhoods in the edge of Kiev that is a that is something yeah this machine of terror now dear God I just got to stop here a moment because this is this is rather surreal I knew I knew that I knew that the Russians had been pushing and to capture Kiev was it would be a well that would be their goal right it's the economic center it's the political center of this country but I had no idea that vehicles like this were actually close enough that this is what the residents of Kiev were dealing with earlier this year and look at it now look at this June 2022 it was destroyed during fights in Sumy region Russian troops have lost more than 50 of these since the invasion another sign of how digitally proficient we are here in Ukraine QR codes for the information English and Ukrainian they want to get the information out they want people to understand what's happening to their country you speak English you do yeah what does this say do you know okay it's not it's not okay this is crazy what did it say Joker Joker Joker is from Batman you know yeah it's Joker okay Wow where are you from from Keith students here's American living in Ukraine okay I'm from Canada just visiting how does it make you feel to see this you get some pleasure used to it some pleasure strange feeling I mean I feel like I've only seen this in a museum but here we are on the streets and this is life you know you should to visit our Independence Day there was like a full of a static street of tanks so Ukraine has captured huge numbers enormous enormous numbers we have captured more tanks that we have received from the Western countries we've captured more tanks than we've received from Western countries yeah it's absolutely true but America left more in Afghanistan that we've given to Ukraine but I hope we give more we need more high Mars and we need longer-range weapons yeah but I got stuck here when the pandemic started and I realized it was the freest country in the world and I'm a journalist but now I'm volunteering to help and we Ukrainian freedom news.com and sharing the truth of Ukraine to America so yeah he's been teaching me Ukrainian history and like this guy has learned a lot about this country it's it's really cool so I am making YouTube series about Ukraine trying to show people what life is like today what channel the channel the name is the new travel one thing I asked when I meet people is what do you love about Ukraine? I guess people. The people yeah very good people what do you think? I love our army and our defense is pretty good so yeah. Cuisine I think. The cuisine? yeah what's your favorite food from Ukraine? I love Ukrainian food in general. I have been to many countries but I realized afterwards how tasty our food is at home it's about 15 minutes after hearing my first air siren alarm so that that is the anti-missile defense system which indicates that something is coming in from Russia it actually sounded for the entire country this time a bit of a surreal feeling I mean a part a part of me is trying to show you these beautiful buildings around but at the same time you have this background feeling but I do have to point out this gorgeous building directly across the street I mean just look at that entrance way I've never seen anything like that in my life a bit of music in the park as you can see life continues on what is your name? my name is Alessa and are you from Kyiv? I'm not from Kyiv but I moved here in 2007 I guess oh yeah and living here for quite a bit now great staying here with my family and what do you love about Ukraine? well I love people of Ukraine of course because the dignity we have and you know the bravery it's it's outstanding and it goes back to ancient you know old times our in our history it's all through our history and we had some really difficult times and not just now but yeah this dignity and bravery that was always with our people and generosity also so yeah I stay here and I love my country because of the people first of all beautiful thank you thank you I hope is there anything else you would like to say to viewers from another country at this time yeah I'd like to say to all who support us thanks a lot because this means so much like you know like for people who are leaving and staying abroad because they are afraid for their kids for their lives there are so many people who share their homes who give jobs to these people like and just support you know like morally and this is like impressive and so precious and we actually value that a lot and for all those people who come to Ukraine who want to witness like you just like you who want to witness with their own eyes what's like to be in the to live in this difficult times in in this context we appreciate that a lot because you are the the words you you speak to the world and show what's going on here and to everyone else who just has the support in their heart thank you so much