Standing in silence and in solidarity

The now daily ritual to remember fallen heroes

- JOHN MARONE

AFTER a typical night filled with howling air raid sirens, whirring drone engines and the occasional barrage of exploding missiles, many people in Kyiv find solace in silence — one minute’s worth — to remind them of why they are still alive and free of Russian occupation.

Every day at 9am, rush hour in Ukraine’s still bustling capital, civilians both indoors and on the streets are called upon to halt what they are doing, stand still and remember their fallen heroes. In total quiet.

Servers in busy cafes, assistants in shopping malls, policemen gathered around a coffee kiosk and, since late last month, motorists driving on Khreschatyk, the city’s main street...all stop to pay their respects.

Some commuters even get out of their cars and bow their heads in the middle of the road.