Photos of eastern Ukraine: part 2

22 Replies

The introduction to this post can be found in the previous post, Photos of eastern Ukraine: part 1, where I explained that I used to work in Ukraine from 2005 to 2006 and that I visited the eastern part of Ukraine many times for work.

Eastern Ukraine is a region of incredible mineral resources and it is no wonder that it was once the heart of the Soviet Union’s industrial production. I could visit factories that employ more than 10,000 people, meaning an entire town. The physical scales were huge, but so were some personal egos, too. I got a feeling that the region was home to some extremely powerful men, who made or broke the lives of the rest. In describing the region’s relation to Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, unity and co-operation were not the words I would choose.

This is the very same region that has been making headlines for too long now, the very same region that has been transformed into the latest battlefield of Europe.

Join me again to discover this region by photos I took during my visits:

Orthodox church in Donetsk.

Orthodox church in Donetsk.

"Metallurgical cinema": Soviet-time movie theater in Donetsk.

“Metallurgical cinema”: Soviet-time movie theater in Donetsk.

Donetsk, the city of metallurgical companies and mines.

Donetsk, the city of metallurgical companies and mines. Now a self-claimed People’s Republic…

I wonder what these women think of today's situation?

I wonder what these women think of today’s situation?

The main square of Donetsk has a big Lenin statue. What would he think of the current developments?

Lenin, standing on the main square of Donetsk just a few steps away from my hotel, became my object of observation.

Every other night I would go for a walk from my hotel and see demonstrations. Always supported by Lenin.

Every other night I would go for a walk from my hotel and see political demonstrations. Always supported by Lenin.

When this young man wore a shirt saying "For Ukraine without Yushchenko", little did he know that things would get much more serious....

When this young man wore a shirt saying “For Ukraine without Yushchenko”, little did he know that things would get much more serious than just getting rid of the President….

Any thoughts these photos brought to you?

22 thoughts on “Photos of eastern Ukraine: part 2”

    1. Miia Post author

      Thanks for commenting! Yes, colors bring joy.

      Orthodox churches like that blue one look like miniature doll houses. I like the wooden ones.

      Like

      Reply ↓
    1. Miia Post author

      Thanks! I don’t think any tourist goes to this region, there really is nothing for them (I rarely use these words, but the region is really very industrial and polluted). But this said, Kiev is worth seeing, Odessa is lovely, and western part of Ukraine is a cute region! My all-time favorite is Odessa.

      Like

      Reply ↓
    1. Miia Post author

      Thanks Vasilis. Yes, indeed, there is so much bad happening that it is impossible to follow every case.
      I am particularly worried about the Ukraine situation –I guess because I worked there so it feels closer but also because as a Finn I have ths particular worry about Putin and his intentions…
      If I may ask, where do your Finnish friends fall: are they optimistic saying nothing would ever happen to Finland, or are they worried about Putin’s imperialistic plans?

      Like

      Reply ↓
      1. Vasilis Meschinis

        Most of my friends are worried about the impact of the embargo on the country’s economy. We have gone through difficult years due to the euro crisis and Finnish economy is already in a fragile state. If the sanctions continue for a long time, they might cause big damage to Finland.

        Like

  5. Pingback: Golden cupolas of Kiev | pearlspotting

      1. nandito silaen

        Hi Miia.. i live in Jakarta Indonesia. hopefully one day u’re gonna coming here to visit Bali, Lombok and Komod island. before coming here, pls search and review bout this place :).

        Like

      4. Miia Post author

        Actually I keep my email and personal life separate from my blog, but I am always happy to talk via my blog.

        Have a nice week!

        Like

  7. Indah Susanti

    Nice photos, looks like it was quite peaceful place. The last one photo is certainly a special one. I feel bad of what happens there and I fear that it will take long time to bring back the peace there.

    Like

    Reply ↓
    1. Miia Post author

      Thanks. It was peaceful on the surface but underneath the truth is that it is an area of many “tribes” (oligarchs) that in the past have “made their ways to success”… It is a Wild East. Today there is some peaceful coexistence between these rich guys, but you don’t want to mess up with them.

      National Geography published an article yesterday that has created a lot of polemic. It actually published a map that many consider pro-Russian (“Novorossiya”) and many readers are outraged. See it here if interested:
      http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/09/140905-ukraine-cease-fire-russia-invasion-geography-history/

      Finland (my home country) has a difficult past with Russia, too, even if we never fell under the Soviet rule, but I am worried for Finland too (and we are not even in the NATO..).

      I am just asking a) who will have the courage to stop Putin and b) since when invading a sovereign state has become debatable? Just asking…..

      Like

      Reply ↓

Leave a comment