キーウでツリー点灯 「子どもからクリスマス奪わせない」

【キーウＡＦＰ＝時事】ウクライナの首都キーウで１９日、高さ１２メートルの人工のクリスマスツリーの除幕式が行われた。ビタリ・クリチコ市長はお披露目に際して、「子どもたちからクリスマスを奪わせない」と力を込めた。（写真は点灯したクリスマスツリー）
　キーウではこの日も重要インフラ施設を狙った攻撃があったが、氷点下の寒さの中、数十人の市民が聖ソフィア大聖堂の隣に設置されたツリーを見に集まった。
　ツリーは、ウクライナ国旗に使われている黄と青のライトで照らされ、てっぺんには国章の三つまたのほこが飾られた。
　ウクライナでは正教会の伝統で１月７日がクリスマスとされるが、世論調査では１２月２５日に祝うことに賛同する割合が増えている。
　市はロシア軍の攻撃で電力網が破壊されていることから、当初はツリーの設置は中止する予定だった。しかし、使い古しの装飾を再利用し、ディーゼル発電機で豆電球を点灯させることにした。
　クリチコ市長は「ロシア人は市民から普通の生活を奪おうとしているが、クリスマスと新年という一年で最も大事な祝日を子どもたちから奪わせるわけにはいかない」と強調。これは「不屈のウクライナを象徴するクリスマスツリーだ」と述べた。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2022/12/20-16:10）

Kyiv officials on Monday illuminated a Christmas tree in the city centre, refusing to let Russia steal the festive season from Ukrainian children.
The day, which started with swarms of attacks on critical infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital, ended with the unveiling of the 12-metre (40-feet) high artificial tree decorated with white peace doves.
A few dozen residents braved the sub-zero temperatures to admire the tree located next to the Saint Sophia Cathedral and its emblematic golden domes -- and take selfies.
Among them, tour operator Natalya rejoiced, telling AFP that the tree brings a festive mood in such a difficult time.
It's such an emblematic feature of our New Year holidays, she added.
She pointed to the tree illuminated with a constellation of yellow and blue lights, the colours of the Ukrainian flag.
Topping the tree is the country's coat of arm, the trident.
Russians try to steal normal life away from our citizens, but we won?t give them a chance to steal the biggest holidays ?- the New Year and Christmas -- from our children, the city's mayor Vitali Klitschko said when unveiling the tree.
- 'Tree of invincibility' -
Following the Orthodox tradition, Ukrainians traditionally celebrate Christmas on January 7th, but polls showed an increasing number in favour of moving the Christian holy day to December 25, in line with other churches.
An Interfax-Ukraine poll showed support for the change almost doubled in a year, jumping from 26 percent in 2021 to 44 percent in 2022.
Kyiv city hall had hesitated to put up the tree, the mayor said, not least because weeks of Russian attacks on energy infrastructures have worn down the Ukrainian power grid.
Moscow's systematic attacks have plunged millions into the cold and dark as winter sets in.
But the city hall adapted, powering the tree's fairy lights with a diesel generator and reusing some decorations from previous years.
We called it 'the Christmas tree of Ukrainian invincibility', since they are doing everything for the children to have a holiday despite difficult times, Klitschko said.
But some still struggled to get into the Christmas spirit.
There is no special festive mood, accountant Tetyana Prykhodko told AFP.
Prykhodko just moved from Kherson, a southern Ukrainian city that was occupied by Russians for months.
I just hope that finally everything will end, and that peace will come. We are all waiting for this, she said.