Legends of Kiev | Traveller | Fortean Times
You don’t have to delve very deeply to uncover the layers of legend and folklore that are woven into the fabric of the majestic city of Kiev. [1] Just as the Dnieper River flows through the heart of the city, so the flotsam and jetsam of more than 1,500 years of history floats very close to its modern-day surface. Getting lost in its maze of monuments, discovering the fantastical architecture, and feasting your eyes on its outright oddities makes wandering the streets of Kiev an adventure. Around every corner, there’s a new mystery waiting to be uncovered.
My grandfather was a Ukrainian who fled the murderous devastation visited on his homeland, first by the Red Army and then the Nazis, during World War II. So my first trip to Ukraine was a cathartic attempt to slay lingering family demons as well as soak up the local forteana. I have since returned three times in the past two years and have utterly fallen in love with this spectacular and mysterious country.
Sandwiched between vociferous neighbours, including Russia, Poland and Hungary, Ukraine is often overlooked on the world stage. And, I confess, I arrived in Kiev with the same bourgeois expectations that many Westerners have about a former Soviet Republic. I was expecting rustic peasant garb, or at least a proliferation of Eighties-style shell suits, coupled with dour expressions. Instead I got fast-paced urbanites in designer suits and enough art and sophistication to sate the greediest of culture vultures. Kiev is a city that packs as much glamour as London but in a cleaner, greener setting. Its shimmering, golden domes are an extraordinary sight for Western eyes. As for its inhabitants, there’s a tangible sense in the Kievan air that everyone just wants to enjoy life.
Kiev is documented in the Tale Of Bygone Years [2] as being founded in the 5th century AD, although some historians argue it didn’t become a cohesive city until centuries later. By the 9th century, it had emerged as one of the largest centres of trade in the whole of Europe. Called Kievan Rus, it remained all-powerful in the region until it was attacked by the Mongols in the 13th century. Since then, Ukraine has been plagued by invaders – Russia, Poland, Germany – with envious eyes on its rich natural resources. Since 1991, it has regained independence, if in a somewhat imperfect sense. [3]
Walking the streets of Kiev is a rollercoaster ride through the flashier side of modernity, seamlessly blended with the centuries-old mythology that has evolved around the city. But, in fact, one of the most arresting monuments dates not from a thousand years ago but from the early 20th century. The House of Chimeras is balanced precariously on the slope of a hill at 10 Bankova Street. It’s a private residence covered with fantastical creatures, both mythological and real. Built by architect Vladislav Gorodetskiy in 1902, the menacing chimeras were created from Gorodetskiy’s drawings by Italian sculptor Elio Sala. It was the first building in Kiev to be constructed from cement, but its grey building material is the last thing you notice, as your vision is overwhelmed by a stream of sculpted creatures. Mermaids vie for space with monstrous toads, dolphins, and crocodiles. Bulbous, distorted catfish, with whiskers unfurling like grasping tentacles, appear ready to seize the unwary passerby. Rhinoceros heads form cornices, overgrown lizards seem frozen in the act of scuttling down the building, while magnificent cement eagles spread their wings. There are elephants with trunks that serve as drainpipes alongside other creatures so fantastical that they defy description. Unsurprisingly, the interior is just as jaw-droppingly decorated, with menacingly moulded octopuses looming down from the ceiling, painted sinking ships, skulls and sculpted maidens of the deep wielding tridents. The whole thing looks like something from a psychedelic dream; but what could have inspired such a creation? Many differing explanations have been put forward, but the most intriguing legend has it that the architect’s daughter committed suicide, following a failed love affair, by drowning herself in the Dnieper. Maddened by grief, her father designed the house to be her crypt, complete with the water creatures he imagined his daughter now to be with at the bottom of the river. In Ukrainian folklore, it is said that drowned women are transformed into water sprites called Rusalka, or Ukrainian mermaids. Now a residence of the president of Ukraine, the house is used to receive foreign delegates; it must make for a good conversational icebreaker.
Other architectural oddities abound in the city. A particularly disturbing one is the house with the weeping face at 23 Lyuteranska Street. A female face, her expression frozen in anguish, is fixed to the façade. When it rains, the water streams down her stony cheeks, producing an animated yet morose effect.
The natural starting point for a tour of Kiev is the Golden Gate. Once the grand entrance to the city, it remains an awe-inspiring monument almost 1,000 years later. Built in 1017 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, it was designed to outshine any structure the Byzantine Empire had to offer. It’s known as the ‘sky gate’ by locals, on account of the dazzling spectacle of the Sun shining through the golden arches as it rises every morning. Legend says that, beset by the fearsome Pecheneg tribe, Prince Yaroslav made a bargain with the Virgin Mary. If she helped him to defeat his enemies, he would build her a place of worship at the Golden Gate. He won his battle, and duly adorned the Gates with the shining, golden-topped Annunciation Church.
The figure of Prince Vladimir looms over Kiev both as an important historical figure and in the form of his huge statue in the park of Vladimirskaya Gorka. A pagan ruler of Kiev from AD 980, Vlad was fond of sacrificing people to his Slavic gods, Perun, Hors and Dazhbog. But he eventually became remorseful and converted Kiev to Christianity, for which he was canonised. However, winning the hand of a beautiful Christian princess may also have had something to do with his miraculous change of heart. Before he opted for Christianity, he was courted by ambassadors of all the major faiths. Legend has it that he rejected the teetotal Islamic ambassador on the grounds that “Drinking is the joy of the Rus!” a sentiment still heartily endorsed in modern Ukraine. A second legend connected to Vladimir’s likeness says that during the German occupation in World War II, the Nazis planned to destroy this monument to Ukrainian nationalism. But the canny inhabitants of Kiev convinced the Führer’s men that the statue was built on top of a water geyser, therefore blowing it up would release a torrent, flooding Kiev and drowning everyone. So Prince Vladimir of Kiev was saved from the Nazis.
Kiev is a city built on legend, and Askold’s Grave marks the site of a ninth-century battle between the sons of its most famous mythological citizens. Three princely brothers and their regal sister supposedly sailed from afar to found Kiev, with the eldest brother, Kie, giving his name to the city. Askold and Dir were his sons, and inherited control of the city. But, in 882, the usurping Prince Oleg lured them both to a peaceful spot on the right bank of the Dnieper and brutally slaughtered them. Askold was buried where he fell, hence the name of the park that marks his grave. Oleg took the throne of Kievan Rus and made a rather good job of ruling, so vindicating himself in the eyes of Kiev’s inhabitants. Amusingly, the bright yellow and orange façade of the chapel commemorating this momentous event has the cheery look of a British beach-hut rather than the setting for a regal death match.
But vibrant colour schemes aside, the surrounding area is extremely picturesque and has inspired artists, such as Kiev poet and national hero Taras Shevshenko (1814–1861) and Russian composer Alexey Verestovsky (1799–1862), who made Askold’s Grave the subject and title of a popular opera. In the 19th century, a cemetery was founded around Askold’s grave. Its incumbents included Pyotr Nesterov, a famous pilot and aerobatics pioneer of the stomach-churning ‘dead loop’ manœuvre, which was first performed by him in 1913 near Kiev. It’s also the location of a cross commemorating the 500 (some sources say 300) Ukrainian students or cadets who attempted to defend Kiev against the Red Army in 1918 and were slaughtered by a force of 4,000 Bolsheviks near Kruty station.
Strolling down the wide boulevard of Kreshatik Street makes for fascinating people-watching opportunities. But perhaps paranormal-seekers should fix their eyes skywards rather than on the grand buildings and bustling crowds, as unexplained aerial phenomena have often been reported in this region. Also, one story says that during an excavation of the street in the 20th century, a silvery cylinder 3m (10ft) in diameter and 50m (165ft) high was found buried deep under the street. It was later taken away by the Soviet authorities never to be heard of again. Locals believe it was of extraterrestrial origin.
The steep slope of Andreevsky Street (known as Saint Andrew’s descent), leading to the artisan Podil district, passes the birthplace and home of internationally renowned Ukrainian novelist Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940). His most famous work, The Master and Margarita, tells the story of an imaginary visit by Satan to Russia, and was a satirical swipe at Soviet corruption. Another famous Ukrainian author, Nikolai Gogol (1809–1852), author of Taras Bulba and Diary Of A Madman, is said to have named this street as one of his favourite places to promenade. The Tale Of Bygone Years says that the Apostle Andrew stood on Andreevsky Street more than 2,000 years ago, and records his prediction of the rise of a great Christian city next to the Dnieper.
A more modern enigma on the street is King Richard the Lionheart’s castle – a bizarre building commissioned in 1904 by businessman Dmytro Orlov, and oddly named after England’s 12th-century crusading monarch. Unfortunately for Orlov, he never had time to enjoy his mediæval-style indulgence as he was murdered a few years later for reasons that remain a mystery. His widow tried to lease the castle but every tenant was soon scared away by the noisy, ghostly phenomena they all reported encountering in the building. Mysterious murmuring voices and eerie screams were attributed to the restless spirit of the castle’s murdered owner. One tenant, a professor at Kiev’s Academy, took it upon himself to do a spot of ghost-hunting. His disappointingly sensible conclusion was that a shoddy building job had left rubble in ventilation holes and chimneys which rattled and made strange sounds on windy days, thus explaining away the spooky sounds. However, superstition reigns and the castle remains empty to this day.
For all its grandeur, Kiev still bears the scars of Nazi occupation during World War II, and perhaps the saddest and most potent reminder of this is to the north of the city at Babi Yar, the ravine of death. This was the place where hundreds of thousands of people were taken from the nearby concentration camp of Sirez and murdered, many being shot, then buried alive to die in agony from their wounds. Victims included Ukrainian patriots and intellectuals, Jews, gypsies, war prisoners of many nationalities, children and pregnant women. Despite the area’s transformation into a leafy suburb in an attempt to erase the horror of the past, a sense of sadness and despair still lingers, especially around the monuments honouring those lost to this evil.
A short walk from the city centre, in a beautiful park near the Dnipro metro station, stands the sprawling complex of the Kiev-Pecherskaja Lavra, which roughly translated means the “cave monasteries of Kiev”. The first cave was dug in 1051 by an enterprising monk called Antony, who wanted to live an ascetic lifestyle. Extreme self-denial and a painfully austere existence proved to be a big draw, and Antony soon attracted a large band of followers, who dug out more caves, and so the Lavra burgeoned. Antony was later canonised, and legend says that when archæologists attempted to excavate his grave, a shower of blinding flames shot towards them, dazing but not burning them, and preventing any disturbance of the saint’s final resting place. There are also rumours of buried treasure in the Lavra, but respect for the sanctity of the place (and possibly fear of magical flames) prevents any searching. In 1990, Kiev-Pecherskaya Lavra was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and now visitors can peruse the many majestic churches adorned with luminously painted figural scenes and ornate decoration and are even allowed to clamber through the dark maze of caves, clutching a solitary candle for light. Be warned though, claustrophobia may ensue as the winding caves are narrow, pitch black and have a very spooky atmosphere, especially when you turn a sharp corner to be confronted with a 1,000-year-old preserved corpse (the monks are all buried here).
No tale of Kiev would be complete without a mention of the infamous death match between Dynamo Kiev players and the Nazis. You can see the Dynamo stadium near the blue and white Mariyinsky Palace on the bank of the Dnieper. Much mythology has grown around this episode but the gist of the legend is as follows. The Nazis ordered a group of ex-Dynamo Kiev players to form a football team. Nominally called FC Start, they were ordered to face off against a Nazi team named Flakelf. The German referee infamously ignored fouls and downright bashing of the Ukrainian players by their opponents, yet the home side won. A number of re-matches took place, and despite intimidation from SS officers, FC Start beat the Nazis every time. Days later, the FC Start players were arrested and interrogated to discover whether they were conspiring against the German army. One player was betrayed as a former member of a Ukrainian resistance movement and died under torture, while the rest were sent to Sirez concentration camp. Three FC Start players were murdered there and tossed into Babi Yar ravine. Three others escaped, and the fate of the rest is unknown. The story of FC Start’s heroism was further suppressed after the defeat of the Nazi regime, under subsequent Stalinist rule. Finally, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the story was openly told. Surviving FC Start player Makar Goncharenko said: “The game was a desperate fight for survival which ended badly for four players… they did not die because they were great footballers… They died because two totalitarian systems were fighting each other, and they were victims of that grand scale massacre.”
Notes
1 Київ is the Ukrainian Cyrillic word, and ‘Kiev’ is the standard international (Russian) transliteration. While the ‘Kiev’ spelling has Ukrainian historical basis, coming from ‘Kievan Rus’, an alternative spelling of ‘Kyiv’ has now been adopted by the Ukrainian administration to symbolise a clean break from Russian influence. Public opinion is divided over which of the two versions should be used.
2 A history of Kievan Rus written by mediæval monks and derived from Byzantine chronicles, Slavonic literary sources, official documents, and oral sagas. Authorship was ascribed to the monk Nestor, but it is now considered a composite work.
3 Ukraine was declared an independent democratic country in August 1991, ostensibly breaking political ties with Russia. The Orange revolution took place in 2004 in response to vote-rigging in favour of the pro-Russian candidate at the election.
My grandfather was a Ukrainian who fled the murderous devastation visited on his homeland, first by the Red Army and then the Nazis, during World War II. So my first trip to Ukraine was a cathartic attempt to slay lingering family demons as well as soak up the local forteana. I have since returned three times in the past two years and have utterly fallen in love with this spectacular and mysterious country.
Sandwiched between vociferous neighbours, including Russia, Poland and Hungary, Ukraine is often overlooked on the world stage. And, I confess, I arrived in Kiev with the same bourgeois expectations that many Westerners have about a former Soviet Republic. I was expecting rustic peasant garb, or at least a proliferation of Eighties-style shell suits, coupled with dour expressions. Instead I got fast-paced urbanites in designer suits and enough art and sophistication to sate the greediest of culture vultures. Kiev is a city that packs as much glamour as London but in a cleaner, greener setting. Its shimmering, golden domes are an extraordinary sight for Western eyes. As for its inhabitants, there’s a tangible sense in the Kievan air that everyone just wants to enjoy life.
Kiev is documented in the Tale Of Bygone Years [2] as being founded in the 5th century AD, although some historians argue it didn’t become a cohesive city until centuries later. By the 9th century, it had emerged as one of the largest centres of trade in the whole of Europe. Called Kievan Rus, it remained all-powerful in the region until it was attacked by the Mongols in the 13th century. Since then, Ukraine has been plagued by invaders – Russia, Poland, Germany – with envious eyes on its rich natural resources. Since 1991, it has regained independence, if in a somewhat imperfect sense. [3]
Walking the streets of Kiev is a rollercoaster ride through the flashier side of modernity, seamlessly blended with the centuries-old mythology that has evolved around the city. But, in fact, one of the most arresting monuments dates not from a thousand years ago but from the early 20th century. The House of Chimeras is balanced precariously on the slope of a hill at 10 Bankova Street. It’s a private residence covered with fantastical creatures, both mythological and real. Built by architect Vladislav Gorodetskiy in 1902, the menacing chimeras were created from Gorodetskiy’s drawings by Italian sculptor Elio Sala. It was the first building in Kiev to be constructed from cement, but its grey building material is the last thing you notice, as your vision is overwhelmed by a stream of sculpted creatures. Mermaids vie for space with monstrous toads, dolphins, and crocodiles. Bulbous, distorted catfish, with whiskers unfurling like grasping tentacles, appear ready to seize the unwary passerby. Rhinoceros heads form cornices, overgrown lizards seem frozen in the act of scuttling down the building, while magnificent cement eagles spread their wings. There are elephants with trunks that serve as drainpipes alongside other creatures so fantastical that they defy description. Unsurprisingly, the interior is just as jaw-droppingly decorated, with menacingly moulded octopuses looming down from the ceiling, painted sinking ships, skulls and sculpted maidens of the deep wielding tridents. The whole thing looks like something from a psychedelic dream; but what could have inspired such a creation? Many differing explanations have been put forward, but the most intriguing legend has it that the architect’s daughter committed suicide, following a failed love affair, by drowning herself in the Dnieper. Maddened by grief, her father designed the house to be her crypt, complete with the water creatures he imagined his daughter now to be with at the bottom of the river. In Ukrainian folklore, it is said that drowned women are transformed into water sprites called Rusalka, or Ukrainian mermaids. Now a residence of the president of Ukraine, the house is used to receive foreign delegates; it must make for a good conversational icebreaker.
Other architectural oddities abound in the city. A particularly disturbing one is the house with the weeping face at 23 Lyuteranska Street. A female face, her expression frozen in anguish, is fixed to the façade. When it rains, the water streams down her stony cheeks, producing an animated yet morose effect.
The natural starting point for a tour of Kiev is the Golden Gate. Once the grand entrance to the city, it remains an awe-inspiring monument almost 1,000 years later. Built in 1017 by Prince Yaroslav the Wise, it was designed to outshine any structure the Byzantine Empire had to offer. It’s known as the ‘sky gate’ by locals, on account of the dazzling spectacle of the Sun shining through the golden arches as it rises every morning. Legend says that, beset by the fearsome Pecheneg tribe, Prince Yaroslav made a bargain with the Virgin Mary. If she helped him to defeat his enemies, he would build her a place of worship at the Golden Gate. He won his battle, and duly adorned the Gates with the shining, golden-topped Annunciation Church.
The figure of Prince Vladimir looms over Kiev both as an important historical figure and in the form of his huge statue in the park of Vladimirskaya Gorka. A pagan ruler of Kiev from AD 980, Vlad was fond of sacrificing people to his Slavic gods, Perun, Hors and Dazhbog. But he eventually became remorseful and converted Kiev to Christianity, for which he was canonised. However, winning the hand of a beautiful Christian princess may also have had something to do with his miraculous change of heart. Before he opted for Christianity, he was courted by ambassadors of all the major faiths. Legend has it that he rejected the teetotal Islamic ambassador on the grounds that “Drinking is the joy of the Rus!” a sentiment still heartily endorsed in modern Ukraine. A second legend connected to Vladimir’s likeness says that during the German occupation in World War II, the Nazis planned to destroy this monument to Ukrainian nationalism. But the canny inhabitants of Kiev convinced the Führer’s men that the statue was built on top of a water geyser, therefore blowing it up would release a torrent, flooding Kiev and drowning everyone. So Prince Vladimir of Kiev was saved from the Nazis.
Kiev is a city built on legend, and Askold’s Grave marks the site of a ninth-century battle between the sons of its most famous mythological citizens. Three princely brothers and their regal sister supposedly sailed from afar to found Kiev, with the eldest brother, Kie, giving his name to the city. Askold and Dir were his sons, and inherited control of the city. But, in 882, the usurping Prince Oleg lured them both to a peaceful spot on the right bank of the Dnieper and brutally slaughtered them. Askold was buried where he fell, hence the name of the park that marks his grave. Oleg took the throne of Kievan Rus and made a rather good job of ruling, so vindicating himself in the eyes of Kiev’s inhabitants. Amusingly, the bright yellow and orange façade of the chapel commemorating this momentous event has the cheery look of a British beach-hut rather than the setting for a regal death match.
But vibrant colour schemes aside, the surrounding area is extremely picturesque and has inspired artists, such as Kiev poet and national hero Taras Shevshenko (1814–1861) and Russian composer Alexey Verestovsky (1799–1862), who made Askold’s Grave the subject and title of a popular opera. In the 19th century, a cemetery was founded around Askold’s grave. Its incumbents included Pyotr Nesterov, a famous pilot and aerobatics pioneer of the stomach-churning ‘dead loop’ manœuvre, which was first performed by him in 1913 near Kiev. It’s also the location of a cross commemorating the 500 (some sources say 300) Ukrainian students or cadets who attempted to defend Kiev against the Red Army in 1918 and were slaughtered by a force of 4,000 Bolsheviks near Kruty station.
Strolling down the wide boulevard of Kreshatik Street makes for fascinating people-watching opportunities. But perhaps paranormal-seekers should fix their eyes skywards rather than on the grand buildings and bustling crowds, as unexplained aerial phenomena have often been reported in this region. Also, one story says that during an excavation of the street in the 20th century, a silvery cylinder 3m (10ft) in diameter and 50m (165ft) high was found buried deep under the street. It was later taken away by the Soviet authorities never to be heard of again. Locals believe it was of extraterrestrial origin.
The steep slope of Andreevsky Street (known as Saint Andrew’s descent), leading to the artisan Podil district, passes the birthplace and home of internationally renowned Ukrainian novelist Mikhail Bulgakov (1891–1940). His most famous work, The Master and Margarita, tells the story of an imaginary visit by Satan to Russia, and was a satirical swipe at Soviet corruption. Another famous Ukrainian author, Nikolai Gogol (1809–1852), author of Taras Bulba and Diary Of A Madman, is said to have named this street as one of his favourite places to promenade. The Tale Of Bygone Years says that the Apostle Andrew stood on Andreevsky Street more than 2,000 years ago, and records his prediction of the rise of a great Christian city next to the Dnieper.
A more modern enigma on the street is King Richard the Lionheart’s castle – a bizarre building commissioned in 1904 by businessman Dmytro Orlov, and oddly named after England’s 12th-century crusading monarch. Unfortunately for Orlov, he never had time to enjoy his mediæval-style indulgence as he was murdered a few years later for reasons that remain a mystery. His widow tried to lease the castle but every tenant was soon scared away by the noisy, ghostly phenomena they all reported encountering in the building. Mysterious murmuring voices and eerie screams were attributed to the restless spirit of the castle’s murdered owner. One tenant, a professor at Kiev’s Academy, took it upon himself to do a spot of ghost-hunting. His disappointingly sensible conclusion was that a shoddy building job had left rubble in ventilation holes and chimneys which rattled and made strange sounds on windy days, thus explaining away the spooky sounds. However, superstition reigns and the castle remains empty to this day.
For all its grandeur, Kiev still bears the scars of Nazi occupation during World War II, and perhaps the saddest and most potent reminder of this is to the north of the city at Babi Yar, the ravine of death. This was the place where hundreds of thousands of people were taken from the nearby concentration camp of Sirez and murdered, many being shot, then buried alive to die in agony from their wounds. Victims included Ukrainian patriots and intellectuals, Jews, gypsies, war prisoners of many nationalities, children and pregnant women. Despite the area’s transformation into a leafy suburb in an attempt to erase the horror of the past, a sense of sadness and despair still lingers, especially around the monuments honouring those lost to this evil.
A short walk from the city centre, in a beautiful park near the Dnipro metro station, stands the sprawling complex of the Kiev-Pecherskaja Lavra, which roughly translated means the “cave monasteries of Kiev”. The first cave was dug in 1051 by an enterprising monk called Antony, who wanted to live an ascetic lifestyle. Extreme self-denial and a painfully austere existence proved to be a big draw, and Antony soon attracted a large band of followers, who dug out more caves, and so the Lavra burgeoned. Antony was later canonised, and legend says that when archæologists attempted to excavate his grave, a shower of blinding flames shot towards them, dazing but not burning them, and preventing any disturbance of the saint’s final resting place. There are also rumours of buried treasure in the Lavra, but respect for the sanctity of the place (and possibly fear of magical flames) prevents any searching. In 1990, Kiev-Pecherskaya Lavra was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and now visitors can peruse the many majestic churches adorned with luminously painted figural scenes and ornate decoration and are even allowed to clamber through the dark maze of caves, clutching a solitary candle for light. Be warned though, claustrophobia may ensue as the winding caves are narrow, pitch black and have a very spooky atmosphere, especially when you turn a sharp corner to be confronted with a 1,000-year-old preserved corpse (the monks are all buried here).
No tale of Kiev would be complete without a mention of the infamous death match between Dynamo Kiev players and the Nazis. You can see the Dynamo stadium near the blue and white Mariyinsky Palace on the bank of the Dnieper. Much mythology has grown around this episode but the gist of the legend is as follows. The Nazis ordered a group of ex-Dynamo Kiev players to form a football team. Nominally called FC Start, they were ordered to face off against a Nazi team named Flakelf. The German referee infamously ignored fouls and downright bashing of the Ukrainian players by their opponents, yet the home side won. A number of re-matches took place, and despite intimidation from SS officers, FC Start beat the Nazis every time. Days later, the FC Start players were arrested and interrogated to discover whether they were conspiring against the German army. One player was betrayed as a former member of a Ukrainian resistance movement and died under torture, while the rest were sent to Sirez concentration camp. Three FC Start players were murdered there and tossed into Babi Yar ravine. Three others escaped, and the fate of the rest is unknown. The story of FC Start’s heroism was further suppressed after the defeat of the Nazi regime, under subsequent Stalinist rule. Finally, when the Soviet Union collapsed, the story was openly told. Surviving FC Start player Makar Goncharenko said: “The game was a desperate fight for survival which ended badly for four players… they did not die because they were great footballers… They died because two totalitarian systems were fighting each other, and they were victims of that grand scale massacre.”
Notes
1 Київ is the Ukrainian Cyrillic word, and ‘Kiev’ is the standard international (Russian) transliteration. While the ‘Kiev’ spelling has Ukrainian historical basis, coming from ‘Kievan Rus’, an alternative spelling of ‘Kyiv’ has now been adopted by the Ukrainian administration to symbolise a clean break from Russian influence. Public opinion is divided over which of the two versions should be used.
2 A history of Kievan Rus written by mediæval monks and derived from Byzantine chronicles, Slavonic literary sources, official documents, and oral sagas. Authorship was ascribed to the monk Nestor, but it is now considered a composite work.
3 Ukraine was declared an independent democratic country in August 1991, ostensibly breaking political ties with Russia. The Orange revolution took place in 2004 in response to vote-rigging in favour of the pro-Russian candidate at the election.
