On a recent visit to Russia, I happened to come across a Ukrainian restaurant while walking through Moscow.

Politicians and the mainstream media in the West wanted us to believe that Russia intended to annex Ukraine and eradicate its culture. I was therefore both amazed and delighted that this centre of Ukrainian culture is flourishing in the Russian capital.

The owner of the Korchma restaurant grew up near Kiev and has been running the popular Ukrainian restaurants in Moscow for eight years. Her chain now comprises a total of fifteen eateries.

**The owner of the Ukrainian restaurant chain with author Felix Abt. She met him spontaneously, i.e. without prior appointment (Photo Felix Abt)**

She kindly showed me her beautifully decorated restaurant full of Ukrainian memorabilia, including the famous Ukrainian embroidery that Ukrainians call vyshyvanka.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

Photo gallery

**Ukrainian cultural artefacts on the restaurant walls (Photo Felix Abt)**

**Traditional Ukrainian utensils (Photo Felix Abt)**

**Traditional Ukrainian dresses (Photo Felix Abt)**

**Traditional Ukrainian implements (Photo Felix Abt)**

The restaurant staff wore embroidered Ukrainian shirts, which are traditional but still considered fashionable. I was told that each Ukrainian region has its own patterns and colours.

**A friendly waitress from the restaurant (Photo Felix Abt)**

I enjoyed the Ukrainian food, especially the borscht soup, which you can see here.

**Popular Ukrainian-style borscht soup (Photo Felix Abt)**

It is a sweet and sour beetroot soup that is slightly different from the borscht soups I have eaten in other countries, including Russia and China. In fact, it is a popular dish in Central and Eastern Europe as well as in some parts of Asia. Ukrainian borscht is considered the country’s national dish and is ideal for any occasion. It is made from simple and locally grown vegetables such as beetroot, carrots, cabbage and potatoes.

Another Ukrainian speciality is varenyky, which are dumplings with various fillings such as potatoes, cheese and cherries.

**Ukrainian-style dumplings filled with cherries (Photo Felix Abt)**

I also tried this delicious Ukrainian bacon, which is not exactly suitable for dieters ;-)

**Typical Ukrainian style of serving (Photo Felix Abt)**

Two friendly musicians presented live music. They played Ukrainian music for the guests who requested it (myself included) and Russian music for those who asked for their favourite Russian songs.

**Musicians performing Ukrainian and Russian songs (Photo Felix Abt)**

I was told that the Ukrainians, just like the Russians with whom they share a long history, place great importance on family values and community. The gatherings are often large and lively, with lots of food, music and laughter. As we can see, visitors feel at home in this Ukrainian atmosphere, and the Russian guests celebrate birthdays in the same way as the Ukrainians.

*Lively atmosphere in the Korchma Restaurant (Photo Felix Abt)*

Several historical eras, in particular the Scandinavian-dominated Kievan Rus’, the Cossack period and influences from neighbouring countries have shaped Ukrainian culture. The birthplace of Russia is not St. Petersburg or Moscow, but Kiev, the current capital of Ukraine. From the late 9th to the mid-13th century, it was the administrative centre of Kievan Rus, the first Slavic state and forerunner of both Ukraine and Russia. Later, Kiev was the capital of a federation of principalities in Eastern Europe.

Even if Ukrainian nationalists and Stepan Bandera supporters deny it today: Russians and Ukrainians have the same cultural roots. Geopolitical influences and interests from afar, namely from across the Atlantic, may have driven Russia and Ukraine apart in recent decades, but this microcosm of cordial coexistence fortunately shows that this does not have to remain the case forever.

▪ ▪ ▪

Travelogue: Ukrainian culture is celebrated…