In eastern Ukraine with the forgotten youth of Donetsk
Audio 02:27
Don Mak, a fast food restaurant in the Donetsk People's Republic.
© RFI
By: RFI Follow
2 mins
Russia's parliament voted on Tuesday to urge President Vladimir Putin to recognize the independence of the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine.
Such a decision would be a violation of the Minsk agreements and the end of the peace process in the region.
In any case, in the self-proclaimed republic of Donetsk, after eight years of conflict, the population is often exhausted and young people sometimes have a hard time projecting themselves.
Advertising
Donetsk, a Saturday night.
It is not yet 10 p.m. but almost everything is closed.
In the dark and rainy streets, one hears the echo of his own footsteps.
Most often, if you come across a car, it's the police.
Asking for the address of a bar or nightclub is like being told: "
I don't know any
".
However, the curfew has been lifted for several months, even if it is only on weekends.
But the habits of eight years of conflict are still there.
“
In fact when you live here,
testifies Victoria,
most of the time, you simply do not think about what is happening elsewhere.
When you think about it, it hurts us, it's sad.
But we know that we can't do anything about it.
»
Victoria, 20, sits with her friends from foreign language university Alexandre and Dacha, 19 and 18.
All three are huddled together on the bench seat of one of the few cafes in the center of Donetsk.
Few outings, they are used to being home early, hardly any trips... Their adolescence and their young adult life, they live it under glass with, in recent weeks, the heavy threat of a conflict.
“
We have already gone through that, at the same time, I am afraid that if it starts again, it will be even more serious,
worries Dacha.
I really hope nothing will happen, but if it happens again, then surely we will have to leave our town and that's sad, I really don't want that.
I really hope that this situation will be resolved peacefully.
"
Every time I hear about this, that I see the news, I shiver with anguish,
alarmed Alexandre.
Despite the fear, whatever happens, we must continue to work and live.
Fear should not paralyze us.
»
Alexandre, who dreams of being a musician, knows that he will soon be called up for his military service.
Since last summer, the self-proclaimed government has implemented it: six months for each young man.
“
I don't mind doing it, but I'm against it, on principle.
If I had the choice, I would still rather be a medical officer than kill people.
»
Like many young people his age in Donetsk, Alexander has friends who have already left the self-proclaimed republic.
They left to live, study and build a future in Russia or in the European Union.
Newsletter
Receive all the international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_EN
Ukraine
On the same subject
Ukraine: Russia announces a partial withdrawal of its soldiers, Westerners remain cautious
Ukrainian crisis: the "Tiger Team", a team of American experts, prepares the various scenarios
International reporting
In eastern Ukraine, the exhaustion of the inhabitants of Donetsk