Ukraine: Sussex journalist discovered a ‘beautiful’ country full of ‘friendly and welcoming’ people

After weeks of diplomatic efforts to try and prevent one, people’s worst fears have come true and, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson said in his televised address to the nation, a ‘vast invasion is under way by land, by air and by sea’ by Russia.

It seems as we come out of the Covid crisis, we’re heading into a renewed period of global danger and instability.

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The dreadful news regarding Ukraine has struck a personal chord with me, as I visited the country for the first time in February 2007, staying in both Lviv, in the western part of the country, and the capital Kyiv.

I had trekked across Europe by train to get there from Genoa in Italy after spending 24 hours on a ferry from Tunis.

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En route, I passed through Austria, before heading to Krakow in Poland and visiting Auschwitz, and finally reaching Ukraine after that.

I found the Ukrainian people very hospitable during my visit there. Ukrainians are noted for being very friendly and welcoming, as well as hospitable. In fact, flying back from Kyiv at the end of my trip, I struck up a three-hour conversation with a young Ukrainian man who sat next to me on the flight back to Gatwick.

I don’t speak Ukrainian and had to rely on my Russian language skills to get by.

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The hotel in Lviv even packed a traditional Ukrainian breakfast in a small Intourist carrier bag for me so as I had something to eat on the early-morning six-hour train journey to Kyiv. Intourist served as the primary travel agency for foreign tourists in the Soviet Union.

Finishing off in Kyiv, I stayed at the Hotel Ukraine, which overlooks Independence Square.

This has been the traditional place for political rallies and was the site of the Orange Revolution in 2004, and the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests.

I found Kyiv very beautiful, especially arriving in February with the streets and church cupolas being covered in snow.

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