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KYIV - Christmas merchandise is on display in Kyiv’s malls and shops, with Christmas trees and decorations in high demand. At the same time, rising prices have made shopping challenging.
Albina, a resident of Kyiv, was buying a Christmas tree and gifts for her relatives and friends when Rudaw interviewed her. It was the first time she was purchasing items with her own earned money, which made her happy, though she notes that nothing feels like it used to.
"In general, because of the prices, we're buying less and giving fewer gifts. The situation is completely different overall, because it's about survival rather than prosperity. Today, we're getting by like this," she said, preferring to provide only her first name.
Prices for domestic Christmas products have risen by 20 percent, while imported items have increased by 45 percent. Before the war, $100 was equivalent to 2,500–2,800 hryvnias, but it now equals 4,100 hryvnias, the Ukrainian currency.
"Prices have risen significantly for toys, gifts, and food in general. But we're trying not to deprive ourselves of things. We're trying to stay on the same path and buy everything so we have a festive atmosphere," Yulia, another resident of the Ukrainian capital city, told Rudaw. She too did not want to provide her second name.
In the streets and markets of Kyiv, New Year preparations are noticeably sparse. Where people would normally take festive photos with Christmas trees, they instead walk among the remnants of war, hoping for an end to the conflict.
Soaring prices, the ongoing war, separation, and the loss of loved ones have led most Kyiv residents to welcome 2026 with a subdued and somber spirit.
Nearly four years have passed since the war between Russia and Ukraine broke out, a war that has resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties. Now, with American mediation, efforts to end the war have intensified, but people are hopeless.
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