Sydney woman is flying BACK to Kiev despite the daily threat of a Russian invasion in Ukraine

An Australian woman whose grandparents fled Ukraine after World War II is flying back to Kiev despite the looming threat of Russian invasion because she misses life in the eastern European country.

Sydneysider Pixie Shmigel and her partner decided to leave Australia for Kiev six months ago to start a new life.

They have spent the past three weeks in Montenegro as fears grow Russian President Vladimir Putin is about to launch a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

But Ms Shmigel said she is planning to go back to Kiev this week as she was thriving in Ukraine, which she described as a ‘truly vibrant place’.

Sydneysider Pixie Shmigel is flying back to Ukraine this week despite the daily threat of a Russian invasion

Ms Shmigel has spent the past three weeks in Montenegro as fears grow Russian President Vladimir Putin is about to back pro-Russian separatists by launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine 

‘Despite the drums of war, people kept going about their business; planning birthday parties and raves, enjoying their morning coffees, continuing life,’ she wrote in an opinion piece for The Sydney Morning Herald. 

‘The panicked headlines from around the world did not square with our daily lives.’

She said Ukrainians were well aware of the threat of invasion, but were willing to fight to keep their independence.

‘I can choose to be afraid of a bully in the Kremlin, or I can continue to stand strong like all the Ukrainians who are currently doing the same,’ Ms Shmigel wrote.

She said her grandparents, who fled after World War II as the USSR brought Ukraine back under its control, had inspired her partner to move to eastern Europe.

‘I will be thinking of only one thing [when she returns to Kiev] – how safe I feel surrounded by those strong, proud, fearless Ukrainian giants,’ she said.

Her column came as Putin ordered Russian troops to enter two breakaway regions of Ukraine to ‘maintain peace’ on Monday – soon after he recognized the area’s independence.

That latter move triggered US President Joe Biden to impose an executive order banning US investment or trade with the two regions.

Ms Shmigel and her partner are planning to fly back to Kiev this week as they were thriving in the city and miss their life there

Pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine celebrated on Monday evening as fireworks went off following Russian President Vladimir Putin signing a decree recognizing two Eastern Ukrainian regions as ‘independent republics’

The US, UK and France called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Monday evening. 

Putin justified his decision in a pre-recorded speech that blamed NATO for the current crisis and railed against the way the West had triggered the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

‘I consider it necessary to take a long-overdue decision: To immediately recognize the independence and sovereignty of Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic,’ he said.