Sawt Falasteen - Russia won't 'steal' Christmas: Kyiv mayor unveils festive tree

The day, which started with swarms of attacks on critical infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital, ended with the unveiling of the 12-metre (40-feet) high artificial tree decorated with white peace doves.

A few dozen residents braved the sub-zero temperatures to admire the tree located next to the Saint Sophia Cathedral and its emblematic golden domes -- and take selfies.

Among them, tour operator Natalya rejoiced, telling AFP that the tree "brings a festive mood in such a difficult time".

"It's such an emblematic feature of our New Year holidays," she added.

She pointed to the tree illuminated with a constellation of yellow and blue lights, the colours of the Ukrainian flag.

Topping the tree is the country's coat of arm, the trident.

"Russians try to steal normal life away from our citizens, but we won’t give them a chance to steal the biggest holidays –- the New Year and Christmas -- from our children," the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko said when unveiling the tree.

- 'Tree of invincibility' -

Following the Orthodox tradition, Ukrainians traditionally celebrate Christmas on January 7th, but polls showed an increasing number in favour of moving the Christian holy day to December 25, in line with other churches.

An Interfax-Ukraine poll showed support for the change almost doubled in a year, jumping from 26 percent in 2021 to 44 percent in 2022.

Kyiv city hall had hesitated to put up the tree, the mayor said, not least because weeks of Russian attacks on energy infrastructures have worn down the Ukrainian power grid.

Moscow's systematic attacks have plunged millions into the cold and dark as winter sets in.

But the city hall adapted, powering the tree's fairy lights with a diesel generator and reusing some decorations from previous years.

"We called it 'the Christmas tree of Ukrainian invincibility', since they are doing everything for the children to have a holiday despite difficult times," Klitschko said.

But some still struggled to get into the Christmas spirit.

"There is no special festive mood," accountant Tetyana Prykhodko told AFP.

Prykhodko just moved from Kherson, a southern Ukrainian city that was occupied by Russians for months.

"I just hope that finally everything will end, and that peace will come. We are all waiting for this," she said.

M.Qasim--SF-PST