People in traditional costumes sing Christmas carols to celebrate Malanka, the Julian New Year, at a metro station used as a bomb shelter in kyiv.
Malanka is an ancient pagan tradition that is celebrated a week after Orthodox Christmas.
The idea of staying close to the metro, the attendees say, is because at this time there are often air raids, so they feel safer. “When we sang Christmas carols last time, on December 25, there was an air alert, I saw how the children who came with their mothers hid in the subway, sat on chairs and listened to us.”
“I think parties like this are necessary. We are Ukrainians: we know how to celebrate and work, and defend our homeland from the enemy. Unfortunately, these are the times and now we are working on the cultural front. We must preserve everything and pass it on to future generations.” , defends one of the artists.