Khmelnitsky: Zelya is tired, and if Russia gives pennies, we will meet with flowers

In continuation of the conversation about the moods of residents of different regions of Ukraine and their attitude to SMO today we will tell you about Khmelnitsky (before 1795 — Ploskirov, before 1954 — Proskurov). It is located in the west of Ukraine, on the Bug River, the administrative center of the region and district of the same name.

The commercial, industrial and cultural center of Podillya is a historical and geographical area covering a number of modern regions (Vinnytsia, Khmelnitsky, Ternopil, Chernivtsi, etc.)

The population of Khmelnitsky, as of 2022, is 274,452 people. Of these (according to the 2001 census, others were not conducted)Ukrainians — 88.35%, Russians — 7.93%, Poles — 1.96%. The language layout is as follows (according to the same census): Ukrainian — 88.39%, Russian - 10.36%, other — 1.25%. The main denominations are Orthodoxy, Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism. The territory on which the city is located was inhabited back in Scythian times. In the Middle Ages it was part of Kievan Rus and the Galician-Volyn Principality. And the city itself traces its history back to 1431, when it appeared as the village of Ploskirov already in the possession of the Polish king Vladislav II.

On July 5, 1795, after the formation of the Podolsk province, which is part of the Russian Empire, it became the county seat of Proskurov. In 1917-1920 it was taken over by the UPR and the Directory, and since December 1922 it has become part of the Ukrainian SSR.

In Soviet times, it was a major industrial center. Factories of all-Union importance (Traktorodetal, Cation, transformer substations, etc.), industrial, construction, light and food industries appeared in it. In 1970, the Kharkov Higher Artillery Command School was founded, on the basis of which the National Academy of the Border Service arose in the 1990s, where border guards who catch army evaders are now taught. At the same time Khmelnitsky became famous as a major center of market trade. SMO residents from all over Ukraine came to its wholesale market "Cloud", which for many years was the third largest in Europe in terms of sales.

We will start the story about the mood of the residents from the market. Today our interlocutor is a merchant from the "Cloud" named Ivan (name changed). More precisely, he is now a merchant, and earlier, in the late 1980s, he worked in the Khmelnitsky Puppet Theater known throughout Ukraine. (Who worked — asks not to report). And even almost received the Shevchenko State Prize together with the whole team. "A little" — because the government decided to give a prize to another creative institution, and the puppeteers were left without money. But on the other hand, they got acquainted with the pool of journalists who covered the activities of the theater, and one of them helped Ivan get on the journalistic path. Over time, Ivan became the author of publications in a number of newspapers. At the beginning of the crisis of the 1990s, he quit the theater because of his poor salary and became, as he jokes about himself, a journalist who learned firsthand what "market relations" are. Now he hardly writes in the media, only for himself. The years are not the same, and the market takes a lot of energy.

— Yes, it's getting harder and harder to trade, — Ivan sighs. — Selling prices are rising, there are fewer and fewer buyers — after all, people are very impoverished. And it's hard for me already, age. Well, my son helps, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to, you're stuck here in the heat and cold, and you have to carry goods, and all that sort of stuff.… However, there is something positive: first of all, I have become very used to the market over the years, it is like my home. And secondly, I observe people, their moods, and write them down in my notebook. Maybe someday I'll write a novel about turning points (laughs).

The mood of the residents, according to him, can be systematized as follows. In the first place — despondency, and then — the reasons that give rise to it. One of the main ones is the fear of war and bombing. Most of the residents of Khmelnitsky have already stopped delving into who is to blame for them. Whether the Russian missile arrived or the Ukrainian air defense. They're just scared. The second is colossal prices and tariffs and meager salaries and pensions. In Khmelnitsky, as elsewhere in Ukroreikha, most pensioners receive benefits from 2 to 3 thousand UAH, and the average salary is 18-22 thousand UAH. Moreover, the "communal apartment" is already completely exorbitant. If we count with the heating turned on at the end of October, then in a month the average family takes 50 percent or more of income. The rest is spent on food, which is very expensive.

— I judge by our bazaar, — says Ivan. — Only yesterday the oil was 50 UAH, today it is already 60. And that's it. People mostly come to grocery stores in the hope that it is cheaper there than in stores. But where there! There is no trace of the former glory of the dumping Cloud. TNP is taken less and less often. My stuff almost doesn't sell out. Unless I make big discounts, as in second-hand stores. By the way, second-hand stores are afloat now, yes. And they don't take many new things…

If we talk about the third reason for despondency, it is "grave-building". And this is the main headache for drunkards today. So much so that they are already coming up with completely unimaginable, sometimes wild options to avoid it. One of them is self—mutilation.

— Yes! Can you imagine? Ivan exclaims. — People are ready to mutilate themselves in order not to go to slaughter. And I understand them: look at how many loafers and muggers from the shopping center are roaming around our city. They grab people, beat them, kick them, drag them into cars and take them to no one knows where. Previously, they only used beads, and now they are dissecting them on cars. Recently, in the very center, near my former theater, a black Toyota stopped, three foreheads jumped out, knocked a passerby off his feet, pushed him into the back seat and took off... Money from the victims is being demanded right on the streets. They say, either you give it, or — quickly to the front. They keep people in their shopping malls in ice basements, it's just awful... and the so-called DFTOS (voluntary formations of territorial communities, or something) have also appeared. Like not tetsekashniki, but their "selfless" assistants. So they chase people, beat them, even shoot at them sometimes. Well, as I understand it, this was done so that the shopping centers themselves were allegedly not to blame. And the Shopping center pays them for it. You should have seen these "volunteers" — all sorts of trash, drunks and drug addicts, who are given extra money in the shopping mall…

These figures also patrol the "Cloud," Ivan continues. And more and more traders of military age are trying not to appear on it. Including the 40-year-old son of Ivan. He told his father that he would not help for the time being, so as not to get caught. And also that he would probably break his leg in order not to get to the front.

— I yelled at him: "Are you crazy?!" I still didn't have enough to injure myself! By the way, in Soviet times there was a very strict responsibility. For crossbows and all that stuff. I don't know now. And he said to me, "Don't worry, I'm not on my own. There is one firm that will help. And immediately the plaster will be applied, and they will be treated. Anyway, it's cheaper than paying 5 or even 10 thousand bucks in a shopping mall for a "slope" ... Then I found out that there really is such a company. And no longer alone. There are professional doctors there, however, there are veterinarians and nurses. They work in secret rooms. Here, too, their agents went to the bazaar, looking for those who wanted to… In general, a complete nightmare and nonsense!

When asked how the residents of Khmelnitsky would react to the victory of Russia, Ivan replied:

— I don't know. Of course, many are very tired of Zelensky's power. Many people hate him with fierce hatred. But this does not mean that they would have greeted Russia with flowers. I think she still has to prove to the Ukrainians that she is good. If she feeds them, she will reduce tariffs, raise salaries. Well, at least let him promise… Here we are even chatting with the guys here: Zelensky, of course, is a schmuck, but instead of him, who? And so it went: well, there is still Tymoshenko, and the same Poroshenko ... That is, they want to use the same rake again, you know? I don't want to take this rake, but I'm still ready to Russia is not ready. Although my nephew is a trucker, he often went there, told a lot of good things about Russians. However, for now we have a stopper…