Russia-Ukraine war: Kiwi expat returns to Kyiv, says bomb exploded outside friend's apartment

Kiwi expat businessman Michael Devoe has returned to Ukraine, where a combination of the mundane and surreal characterises daily life. Photo / Supplied

A Kiwi expat businessman has returned to Ukraine where he says a bomb went off right outside his friend's apartment.

Michael Devoe left his home in Kyiv earlier this year after the Russian invasion.

But he was back for a visit this week, just as Russia started sending long-range missiles and killer drones towards the Ukrainian capital.

"This bomb went off in front of a friend of mine's house," Devoe told the Herald from Kyiv on Wednesday morning.

"That was in Shevchenko Park. His apartment was right there. It blew out some windows. He and his family are fine."

Devoe has a carbon trading company with a New Zealand business partner.

"That's still continuing. That's really a New Zealand-focused business."

But he said enterprises dealing closely with Ukraine were struggling, and for them doing business was still more difficult and uncertain than before the invasion.

"They're hitting the heating and water infrastructure. Last week there were some drones and missiles, cruise missiles. Yesterday it was mostly drones, it seems."

Devoe said despite those attacks, some normality had returned to the Ukrainian capital, months after major Russian attacks were repulsed.

Ukrainian soldiers shoot a drone that appears in the sky seconds before it fired on buildings in Kyiv on Monday. Photo / AP

"My youngest daughter wanted to come back and see some of her friends," Devoe said.

Devoe left Kyiv in February for the sake of his family's safety.

Then in April, he drove from a different Ukrainian town across Europe to the Netherlands.

Devoe said in the war's early months, fear was widespread, before some of Ukraine's successful counter-attacks.

"People were feeling a lot more secure but the bombs of the last week were a bit of a shock to people. So people will have to re-evaluate."

Firefighters work after a drone fired on buildings in Kyiv on Monday. Photo / AP

Devoe said people who'd heard the drones described the sound of the approaching unmanned aircraft as similar to a chainsaw.

"They shot down about 80 per cent of the ones that were coming toward Kyiv."

But he said Ukraine needed more help to disable incoming missiles, and he expected the Russian bombardment to continue.

"They'll continue with attacks on infrastructure until Ukraine gets better defence against these attacks."

The security threats from Russia also led to a curfew being activated.

"There's still a curfew on from 11pm to 5am, so everything finished early, as people need to get home. Quite a few businesses have closed."

But people were trying to enjoy life as much as possible, Devoe said.

"Life still goes on. Restaurants are still working. We'll go out."

A relative mourns next to the coffin of Colonel Oleksiy Telizhenko, during his funeral in Bucha, near Kyiv on Tuesday. In March, Russian soldiers abducted Col Oleksiy. Photo / AP

Russia launched attacks on various Ukrainian infrastructure targets after an October 8 truck bomb explosion damaged a bridge linking Russia to Crimea.

Devoe said despite the drone and missile attacks, the atmosphere was still more tranquil than six months ago.

"It doesn't feel the same as it did ... We don't have the Russian soldiers encircling Kyiv."

Essential services seemed to be operating smoothly, he said.

"The trains are working. The buses are working. The queues don't seem to be hugely long. People still seem to be coming and going from Ukraine."

He said the invasion had turned more local people against Russia.

"A lot of people are switching to speaking Ukrainian more, even more so than earlier. There's becoming a big gap between the Russians and Ukrainians."

The Act Party yesterday called on the Government to send unused NZDF Javelin missiles to Ukraine.

"Data from the Ukraine Support Tracker developed by the Kiel Institute for the World Economy shows the NZ Government has contributed less than almost every other modern nation in the world," Act leader David Seymour said.

The Herald earlier this year revealed that Defence Minister Peeni Henare asked his colleagues to send the Javelins to help Ukraine but the Cabinet declined.