A short walk from the Kremlin a man in a Mickey Mouse costume hands out fliers for a children’s play centre. Near by, tourists pose for photographs next to a life-sized model of Elvis Presley at an American-themed restaurant.
Not far away, at the Ukrainian cultural centre in central Moscow’s bustling pedestrian zone, passers-by barely glance at the blue and yellow flag that is flying at the entrance to the building.
If Russia is steeling itself for a serious conflict with Ukraine, there is very little sense of it here. Despite recent warnings from the White House of an “imminent” Russian attack, few people seriously believe that war is on the horizon. Indeed, the topic is barely discussed. » | Marc Bennetts, Moscow | Friday, February 4, 2022
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