Kyiv residents begin to find calm after Russian forces' retreat

Tulips bloom on Maidan, the city's central square, in Kyiv in April after Russian forces pulled back to focus on the eastern fronts in their ongoing invasion of the country. (Claire Harbage / NPR)

KYIV, Ukraine — As Russia's invasion of Ukraine enters its third month, Ukrainians are assessing the damage. Despite an initial push to take Kyiv, the Russian forces backed off of the capital city, revealing the atrocities of the fighting left behind.

As spring arrives people in some areas of Kyiv begin to put their lives back together. Some people ride through the city on electric scooters while others are returning to their homes to see what remains. Even with moments of calm the city is still tense and the people live with the ongoing threat of possible airstrikes.