Far from the battlefield in eastern Ukraine, authorities in Moscow are trying to turn the Russian capital into a summer relaxation zone, despite Europe's biggest ground war since World War II taking place 1.000 kilometers to the south.
Streets and squares are filled with huge pots of trees and flowers, a variety of outdoor events such as theater performances are organized, and the capital's green avenues and parks are full of young people participating in outdoor sports such as badminton and beach volleyball.
With the sounds of relaxing music performed by young street performers and cafes where guests enjoy sunny days, there are few signs that Russian forces are in heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine and that Moscow is trying to push Ukrainian forces out of the Kursk region, which is about 600 km away. .
However, in a conversation with the Reuters agency, some Muscovites expressed deep concern about the conflict and believe that their lives are not in accordance with what is happening in the country.
"Yes, we live relaxed and in a certain way terribly peaceful," she told the British agency of a woman who introduced herself as Margarita. She added that she recently returned to Russia after moving to Montenegro right after Moscow started a war with Ukraine in 2022, which she calls a special military operation. "I'm terribly guilty of living this way of life, but there's nothing I can do about it right now," she said with an embarrassed smile.
Relaxing with a friend on a deckchair in a park overlooking the Moskva River, Anton, who did not want to reveal his last name, appeared relaxed. However, he said that he believes that what is happening around him is a kind of show by the state.
"I see that the authorities in Moscow generally try to organize various events, such as the 'Moscow 2030' festival, in order to divert people's attention from the war as much as possible, to show that life goes on, that life is a holiday. Basically, this is part of the cognitive war," he said.
"As far as I can see, they also want to show Ukraine that we have a holiday every day, that festival manifestations, various events and exhibitions are held, while you have people crammed into buses and forcibly sent to the front," he added.
He expressed his concern that, as he said, Russia has entered Ukraine "too deeply" and that it is becoming increasingly difficult to get out of this conflict.
Across town at Thursday's Russian Flag Day ceremony, Yulia Maslova, a resident of Kursk, where Ukrainian forces breached the border on Aug. 6, did not look the least bit relaxed.
Visibly emotional, she said that her relatives were evacuated from Kursk for security reasons. "The situation is now very difficult (in the Kursk region), evacuation is being carried out from the border areas, to save children, to save the elderly," she told Reuters.
Olga, a pensioner walking through Moscow's Chisti Prudi park, said that although everything seemed peaceful and cafes and restaurants were open as usual, Ukraine tried to attack Moscow with drones this Sunday.
"Of course, they shot them down. But the point is that they flew here," she said.
When asked if she was calm, she said: “Of course not. I take medicine. I already had a heart attack because of this (war), when it all started".
Next to the river, a woman named Jana said that fear has been constant for the past few years, but that she and her husband, like many Russians, simply get on with life.
"Our plans haven't changed much," she said. "Our plans are to raise a child, educate him and continue to live".
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