Massive return to Kiev despite warnings from authorities: “It's too soon”

Hundreds of cars loaded with suitcases and boxes formed a huge traffic jam on Thursday at the western entrance of Kiev, at a time when citizens of the Ukrainian capital who fled because of the war are returning, even though the authorities have warned against doing so.

The capital's western highway, which connects to the western city of Lviv, witnessed long car queues throughout the day, which were aggravated by an increase in military checkpoints.

Ludmela, a woman returning from Lviv to Kiev with her parents, assured the EFE agency from the traffic jam that “it is time to return home”, after the region was liberated on April 2 from the occupation of Russian troops.

“The holidays are coming and we have to make preparations... In addition, we have a small plantation and the season begins,” he commented from his car, crammed with boxes and blankets.

Today, the mayor of Kiev, Vitali Klitschko, asked the residents of the city who fled the war not to return yet, as the Ukrainian capital is on alert and is not entirely safe.

“Friends! Today is too early to return home en masse to Kiev,” the Kievi mayor warned a few hours after Russia threatened to bomb command centers in the Ukrainian capital if the Ukrainian Army attacks or carries out further sabotage actions on Russian territory.

“We rely solely on the recommendations of the military, and they say that the current threat is still quite large,” he reiterated.

According to him, “there is, first of all, the threat of rocket fire. And, secondly, the demining of the territories adjacent to the capital continues, where, unfortunately, there are already cases of deaths as a result of explosions in the territories mined by the occupiers.”

“Our key task is to save people's lives and peace. Therefore, there is no need to rush back to the capital. Those who return must weigh all the risks,” he added.

He also said that the “country lives under martial law. Kiev is calmer now than before. But let's not forget that the aggressor's target was the capital. The military claims that the aggressor has not abandoned his plans and can start implementing them at any time. Therefore, we must be extremely careful and listen to the recommendations of the military.”

But despite the mayor's warnings, many residents who left Kiev a month ago are skeptical and say that returning “is not as dangerous as they say”, like Valeria, an elderly woman who today returns home to the capital after spending four weeks in the west.

“We return because we are confident in our victory,” he said from his car.

Other residents of Kiev such as Olex or Tanya have also decided to return to the capital, convinced that “it is a completely safe place” after the region was liberated almost two weeks ago.

According to the mayor, there are threats of rockets and mines planted in the vicinity of the capital and adjacent cities, “where, unfortunately, there are already cases of deaths as a result of explosions in the territories mined by the occupiers”.

More than half of Kiev's residents fled the capital during the Russian occupation, according to official data, and today the main streets remain deserted and most shops closed.

The attacks on Kiev and its surroundings by the Russian army ceased in recent days and have been concentrated in the east of the country, where Moscow is trying to regroup its troops to launch a new offensive aimed at controlling the Donbas region.

(With information from EFE/Carles Grau Sivera)

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