Editor’s Note:

This afternoon, Ukraine’s four-day Independence Day weekend starts — inevitably with a traffic jam. On Wednesday, I fly my family to the US for a ‘vaccination vacation’ – second shots. Before then, we will turn out Tuesday to watch the parade down Khreschatyk. For those of us in Kyiv, the practice flyovers have been exciting. Come down to Khreschatyk 10:00 am Tuesday and watch the world’s largest plane — the Kyiv-made Mriya — fly low over the avenue! With Best Regards, Jim Brooke