ZAPORIZHZHYA, Ukraine The welcoming smell of coffee and pastries wafts through Mothers Farm cafe and shop in Ukraine's eastern city ofZaporizhzhya, a sign of business as usual. But with the front line of the war with Russia just 25 kilometers away, business is far from usual.
Mother's has kept its doors open despite several close calls, most recently on January 2 -- as outlined in a social mediavideoby owner Yulia Matviyenko -- of plaster falling from the ceiling during a Russian strike nearby.
Every business that remains in Zaporizhzhya and recovers after what is thrown at us deserves respect, she toldRFE/RLs Ukrainian Service.
We have already been taught over all these years to stand tall. And when the situation worsens, we become one big team. Strangers support each other, she added.
