Ukrainians in ‘Moscow on the Med’ look on in horror

Ukrainians in ‘Moscow on the Med’ look on in horror

LIMASSOL: Ukrainians living alongside fellow expats from “brother” Russia in the Mediterranean seaside town of Limassol in Cyprus looked on in horror yesterday at the Russian assault on their homeland. “This is the worst-case scenario we could have imagined. They are bombing all regions of Ukraine, attacking all our airports and bases,” said Evgeny Staroselskiy, a director of Russian Radio Cyprus based in Limassol.

He said nationals from both countries had awoken in shock to hear of the full-blown conflict unfolding between Ukraine and its giant neighbor. “A lot of people have family on both sides of the border,” said the 60-year-old native of Kharkiv, a mainly Russian-speaking city in eastern Ukraine considered in the “red zone” because of its proximity to the border with Russia.

But Staroselskiy stressed the influence of Russian media on the attitude of citizens from their side, even in sunny Limassol, also known as “Limassolgrad” or “Moscow on the Med” as being home to tens of thousands of people from ex-Soviet republics as well as a favourite holiday destination. “We are all brothers but we are now receiving telephone calls from some Russians who actually support this crazy (Russian President Vladimir) Putin. We are very surprised.”

A group