Maidan June 2015. A photo report - UEN Exclusive

Admin sent me to Maidan and Kreshatik, to check out the situation there, and take some photos.
To be honest, it is almost back to how it was.
The only difference I noticed was that the start of Institutska - where sadly a lot of people were shot dead by Yanukovich's and Putin's people - that area is closed off.
Until the driveway for the Hotel Ukraina, just past the footbridge over the road.

Around the Independence monument are various displays. Telling the history of the place.
But first, a few photos of Kreshatik.

Here, a place very familiar to Admin, the Bessarabsky market area at the southern end of Kreshatik



Cars still park on the upper level, by the shops. I thought this was going to be stopped, but nothing seems to have changed



On the lower level things are quieter.



No tents, no nothing. Just cars going along the road.

Ukraine is now struggling for rain. Very dry. Not good for the crops.
The hanging baskets are watered.



A month ago I was in Lviv.
Tourist shops there are full - absolutely full of anti-Putin t-shirts, mugs, toilet paper, and the like.
In Kiev, the centre, at least - nothing. Just the usual Ukrainian souvenirs from 5 years' ago.
Wierd to me - I expected lots of interesting items, mugs with PUTIN HUYLO on them, and so on.
But - zippo - nothing in Kiev. Why? Your guess is as good as mine.

A typical tourist outlet on Kreshatik



Where the main Maidan camp was are now various exhibits. Photos, and the like

Here, close to the obelisk, various displays, photos, from the conflict.



And close to the Independence monument, the obelisk, some people being interviewed by tv crews.
To be honest, there were not a lot of people there. Perhaps 5 or 10 activists at the most.



Under the arch itself is one guy on hunger strike. He says he will not eat until the war stops.
That could be several years, knowing how Putin operates.



Some of the posters stuck on the wall of the monument are very critical of the current government.
For example, "Yatseniuk, take your reforms, and go! "

The sentiments are good, laudable, but - Ukraine is at war with Russia, and is bankrupt.
Everybody at Maidan wants to end corruption, and have a fair society, but - not easy to do after 24 years of stealing in all lovels of government and society.

A view looking back from the steps of the monument



And the same view through the arch.
This is where the guy on hunger strike is. You can see a lady crouched down, talking to him.



And a couple more views, this looking a little left. Frankly, very few people. A few tourists.
And perhaps more journalists than activists.
I noticed one journalist with a "reporters without borders" t-shirt on. But I never quite managed to get a good photo of him.
He kept turning round.



And this to the right, with the building that became famous - turning black slowly because of all the fumes from the burning tyres,
now under a large Ukrainian flag-banner

The people at Maidan - what where they complaining about?

The main grumble was that Poroshenko and Yatseniuk had not returned after a year to give their report.
I mentioned that they had given their report to the Rada, and also on tv to journalists, and taken questions.
But this did not satisfy them.

To be honest, not an easy situation. Perhaps many of their friends had sacrificed their lives, so Yatseniuk could be PM, and Poroshenko be President, rather than the bandit Yanukovich with his side kick, Azarov. But should these activists be allowed to dictate to the elected head of the country? Some at Maidan would say yes.

That is the political situation. In my opinion, a large rift - between the politicians, and the activists who feel that they have been deserted and left alone.
And of course, there are a myriad of opinions - some want a socialist government, some want direct rule from Maidan, perhaps in time another form of dictatorship!
And everybody thinks differently about almost all of the key topics.

This was saddening to me.
i strongly think that Ukraine needs unity now - and yes - behind the President.
Instead, people are infighting.
Tymoshenko - last night yet again on Schuster and criticising everybody. She still wants to be President.
And I believe she would sacrifice ukraine to Putin if she felt that that would achieve her purpose.
After all, after the Orange Revolution, she signed a pact with Yanukovich.

The dead.

They don't have to worry about these things now. Their work is done. God bless them.
A memorial by the clock under the footbridge on Institutska



and a closer view



To the Heavenly Hundred. I recognised the text on the left-hand-side tablet... the
"Mamo, ni plach.... "mama, don't cry. I will come back in the spring.. "... poem.




And this on the right-hand-side

On the hill by the tablets, photos of the dead



Some of my friends were crying.
But now - life continues in Kiev.
I walked a little further along Kreshatik, to Europaiski plocha - European square. The white building is the Philharmonia



And walked to the arch - and looked at the river, and Podol



Such is Maidan today.
A myriad of opinions. And memorials to the dead.
Such is life in this democracy in the process of being born - from the ashes of Maidan.