Ukrainians Fill Streets With Music, Echoing Past War Zones

As their cities have come under siege by Russian forces, Ukrainian artists have turned to music for comfort and connection, filling streets, apartment buildings and train stations with the sounds of Beethoven and Mozart.

When bombs began falling on Kharkiv late last month, Vera Lytovchenko was forced to take shelter in the basement of her apartment building. She took her violin with her, hoping it might bring comfort.

In the weeks since, Lytovchenko, a violinist for the Kharkiv Theater of Opera and Ballet, has given impromptu concerts almost every day for a group of 11 neighbors. In the cold, cramped basement, with nothing in the way of decoration except candles and yellow tulips, she has performed Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky and Ukrainian folk songs.

“My music can show that we are still human,” she said in an interview. “We need not just food or water. We need our culture."

Watch performances from Ukraine and other war zones here.

@nytimes