Markets stay open and construction continues, but western Ukraine’s sense of safety has been shaken.
Every day at nine o’clock in the morning, a minute of silence descends. Traffic lights are switched off, cars come to a halt, and life itself briefly pauses. The moment is dedicated to the victims of Russian aggression in Ukraine and is followed by the Ukrainian national anthem.
Approximately two months ago, Uzhhorod joined the growing number of cities where this ritual has been repeated daily since the war began. The moment also unfolds at the border crossing in Vyšné Nemecké, where Slovak checks have already been completed and Ukrainian officers return passports.
Border controls have long been strict, but became even more thorough after Slovak customs officers allowed a van carrying 80 kilograms of concealed cocaine to cross last December. Ukrainian authorities intercepted the smugglers shortly after they entered the country.
During a reporting trip to Uzhhorod, Korzár visited the city two days after Russia launched a drone attack on the Zakarpattia region. Eleven drones were directed at Uzhhorod and Mukachevo on 13 May; Ukrainian air defences shot down three, while eight struck towns or landed nearby.
