Nevertheless, it seems impossible to completely avoid the topic. Drones fly over the city quite often. You can hear the air-raid alerts, the work of air-defence systems, and the sounds of them being shot down. I have never actually seen a flying drone myself — and, frankly, that is probably for the best.
Over the past year life in the city has become noticeably more tense. The conflict is escalating and expanding, and I strongly dislike that. I believe it must be stopped: too many people are dying and suffering. I see no other way out except a freeze. Most likely this will happen this year or next. How we will live after that is another question entirely.
I find it especially painful to watch what is happening because I am a carrier of three cultures at once. I speak English fluently and have even been teaching a foreign language a little lately. At the same time I belong to Russian culture and come from the Komi Republic; by nationality I am Komi. This combination leaves me with complex, far from the brightest feelings about the conflict.
