‘Life goes on’: Kyiv residents maintain calm amid threat of Russian invasion

Few signs of panic in Ukraine's capital - though mood has darkened in recent days and some are making plans in event of conflict

The mood in Kyiv was calm on Monday, with shops and cafes busy and few visible signs of panic, despite the decision by the US and UK embassies to evacuate all non-essential staff amid warnings of a Russian attack.

In the capital's upmarket Podil district, families strolled amid festive lights and skated on an open-air ice rink. There were long queues at the October cinema for a screening of Stop-Zemlia, a prize-winning Ukrainian film about the lives of Kyiv teenagers.