In Photos: Moscow Residents Feel Consequences of Ukraine War

 

In Photos: Moscow Residents Feel Consequences of Ukraine War 

 

The Moscow Times

Mar 23, 2022 - 08:44 am

 

Russia's "special military operation" in Ukraine has been raging for almost a month.

While Russian cities have not faced the devastating shelling that Ukrainian cities have, international sanctions on Moscow have visibly impacted life for ordinary Russians.

Whether it's ongoing anti-war protests, food shortages or empty window displays, the city is rapidly changing.

Residents walking along the Moskva River Embankment on March 20.

Despite the ongoing war in Ukraine and tough Western sanctions, some parts of life in the capital remain the same.

Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency

Riot police officers on duty in the center of Moscow on March 18.

Since the beginning of the invasion on Feb. 24, thousands of people have been detained at Moscow’s anti-war rallies.

Sergei Vedyashkin / Moskva News Agency

Aircraft at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport.

A large number of Russians, many of them from Moscow, have been fleeing abroad, fearing the deteriorating economic and political consequences of the Ukraine conflict.

Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency

Food store in Moscow.

The supply of imported goods and foods into Russia has been disrupted by the ongoing conflict and heavy sanctions, resulting in rising prices.

Denis Voronin / Moskva News Agency

Food store in Moscow.

Sugar has been one of the most sought-after items among Russian buyers, and there have been reports of sugar shortages.

Moskva News Agency

Grocery store in Moscow.

The Russian government has assured citizens that there will be no risk of domestic food shortages.

Moskva News Agency

Grocery store in Moscow.

Officials claimed that “panic buying” is behind the empty shelves in Russian stores and advised Russians not to buy goods such as sugar and buckwheat in large quantities.

Moskva News Agency

Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport.

Moscow's largest airport, Sheremetyevo, announced that it had furloughed a fifth of its staff and stopped further recruitment due to a sharp decrease of international travel stemming from airspace bans with Western countries.

Sophia Sandurskaya / Moskva News Agency

A Moscow McDonald's that has closed.

With hundreds of Western companies pulling out of Russia in solidarity with Ukraine, many Moscow sites don’t look the same — including the capital's popular McDonald's locations.

Sophia Sandurskaya / Moskva News Agency

A food truck on Tverskaya Street in Moscow next to a closed McDonald's.

The closure of the McDonald's on Moscow's Pushkin Square, the fast-food chain’s first location to open in Russia, marked a new era for a country that has been relatively open to the Western world for the past 30 years.

Moskva News Agency

Containers in a logistics center in Moscow on March 16.

A mass exodus of foreign companies from Russia has put thousands of people out of work.

Moskva News Agency

Red Square, March 19.

A Russian court banned Facebook and Instagram Monday, labeling their parent company Meta as “extremist.”

Kirill Zykov / Moskva News Agency

Walking along the Moskva River Embankment on March 19.

The move came as a big blow to many Muscovites, who have become especially attached to Instagram, a platform that is beloved by millions of Russians and is a vital tool for many small businesses.

Sergei Kiselev / Moskva News Agency

A Shell gas station.

Major oil companies like Shell have pulled out of Russia since the invasion, putting the global energy market in disarray.

Alexander Avilov / Moskva News Agency

A food truck next to a closed McDonald's location in Moscow.

Moskva News Agency

A closed BP gas station.

Sergei Kiselev / Moskva News Agency

Despite the city's rapidly changing landscape and rising prices, many Muscovites go about their day as usual, enjoying warmer weather, local restaurants and events.

While many Hollywood studios suspended releases of their films in Russia, Moscow residents can see Russian and other foreign films in local cinemas.

Muscovites can still also enjoy the city's vibrant theater scene, which hasn’t been impacted by the sanctions to the same extent as the film industry.

Sophia Sandurskaya / Moskva News Agency

The construction hypermarket OBI ceased to operate in Russia.

While life goes on in Moscow despite the events in Ukraine, it is hard to ignore the mass closures of international companies, soaring prices and increased police presence.

Moskva News Agency