KYIV, Ukraine — Driving around the heart of the Ukrainian capital one might almost think things had returned to normal.
More than three months after Russia retreated from Kyiv, shops and restaurants in the center of the city are open and buildings are unscarred. But the illusion of normalcy quickly shatters.
Statues of Ukrainian heroes in public squares are shrouded with sandbags. Independence Square — the scene of massive demonstrations in 2014 that demanded that Ukraine opt for Europe rather than remain under Russia's thumb — is lined with "hedgehogs." That's the nickname for metal antitank barriers.
