How do you convey the oddness of Kyiv during Russia’s invasion of Ukraine? The reality of living under the constant threat of drones and missiles, combined with the undeniable fact that life continues as normal for most of the time?

Kyiv isn’t just bombs. It’s pet grooming salons with neon signs and coffee shops called ‘202 Degrees Fahrenheit’. It’s WiFi signal that doesn’t fail, matcha tea with your choice of milk, ride-sharing apps and electric scooters. The city is as cool as the coolest corner of Shoreditch.

Almost the first thing I do when I arrive is explore the bomb shelter underneath my flat. It’s surprisingly clean and recently renovated – a step up from the bare bricks and water pipes you might expect of a basement. There’s a kettle, free Wi-Fi and power sockets. There is even a loo and a sink.

A neighbour tells me that as many as 25,000 people sleep in the metro on a bad night of bombing and that just as many have shelters underneath their building, but there are 3 million people in the city. This is a drop in the ocean. She also tells me that there are a couple of homeless men living in our basement.

Kyiv is as cool as the coolest corner of Shoreditch

Later in the day, there is an alert and I go downstairs to sit it out. A man walks in. For a moment, I’m excited to see that I’m not the only one........

© The Spectator