In late February, less than a week into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Drinks International spoke to bartenders in Kyiv. We heard of hospitality workers joining the war effort, signing up to the territorial army and making Molotov Cocktails to defend against what seemed an imminent assault on the capital. There were stories of sheltering in speakeasies from attacks from the air and turning restaurants into kitchens to feed those in need.  

Now, the war is concentrated in the east and south of Ukraine. Kyiv, though spared the worst of the attacks, is far from living in peace.  As Nadir Kuchkarov, a partner at Hendrick’s Bar says, the city feels “conditionally safe”. He says: “No one city in Ukraine can feel completely safe now unfortunately. There is constant military activity on the borders of the Kyiv region from the side of Belarus. Air raid alerts sound from time to time – a few weeks ago Russian rockets flew above my head.”

It’s hard to imagine tougher conditions for a hospitality industry to operate under – and let’s not forget that before the war was the pandemic. Adam Howell, originally from Nashville, moved to Ukraine some 19 years ago and never left. His bar Lost & Found closed because of the pandemic but his restaurant-bar Podil East India Company has made it through so far. He says “the joke here in Ukraine is that the pandemic ended on Feb 24, 2022” – the date the invasion began. And while the sirens are less frequent this autumn and Howell echoes the feeling of increasing safety, it’s relative. “There’s always a chance of getting hit by a cruise missile,” he says.  

Slow business

Hospitality businesses are fewer in number now in Kyiv, but those that have found a way, are open. “Bars and restaurants are open, but business is very slow,” says Kuchkarov. “They work on a limited basis with a curfew introduced from 11pm-5am.” The curfew means drinks aren’t served after 10pm and that, coupled with customer numbers, has meant reopening Hendrick’s Bar hasn’t been viable. This spring and summer the bar has supplied the cocktails to the burger bar upstairs, keeping the staff in work.  

Howell estimates that restaurants in Kyiv are achieving up to 80% of their pre-war turnover, but bars are making around 40-50%. “It’s surreal, but we are also determined and defiant,” says Howell.“I remember reading books about people going about their business in occupied Paris or other cities during World War II and thinking, how is that possible? I now know how it is possible. If we get hit, we get hit. Until then, we’ve gotta live.”  

Kuchkarov believes hospitality has to find a way to carry on. “Small businesses play an important role for the country – it is important to keep jobs and pay salaries for our employees.” He continues to look for opportunities and is now running a pop-up of the bar called Hendrick’s Greenhouse. But Kuchkarov hasn’t given up on his city centre bar:  “Kyiv is alive now – many people have returned. We want to try to reopen the bar and see how it goes.” At time of writing, Hendrick’s Bar was planning to reopen this autumn.

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Meanwhile, at the city’s best-known bar, Parovoz Speak Easy, it’s not quite business as usual but the bar is open. When sirens ring out, many customers choose to stay in the relative safety of the bar, says owner Dima Shovkoplias, situated as it is beneath a cinema. At least until the city falls under curfew.

Fund raising

In spite of the difficulties many beleaguered hospitality businesses still manage to raise money – and spirits – for the country’s defence. “Despite the times, our bar holds charitable guest shifts to raise money for humanitarian causes,” says Kuchkarov. “On our menu there is also a charitable cocktail, Mriya (Dream) Gimlet, the sales of which are donated to local foundations.

Parovoz Speak Easy also supports Ukrainian bartenders at war. “One of our own bartenders is in the army now,” says Shovkoplias.

But there is also a job to be done internationally. Shovkoplias, a regular face at bar events globally, has used his platform as an opportunity. “The Brave Ukraine Tour is my own way of creating awareness around the war and also to raise funds to support my team and local bartenders affected by the Russian invasion.”  

The tour has so far seen 19 guest shifts in multiple cities across Romania, Italy and Portugal and a 12-event tour of the US. “Step by step we are making our voice heard – that the war is still on. Some of the people who have come to the events have donated to charities directly and some funds we collect from the cocktail sales thanks to the partner bars and sponsors. This money has gone to my staff and bartenders at war who are in need of help. We also support organisations such as BudmoUA and government incentive United24.”

BudmoUA takes its name from the Ukrainian toast ‘Budmo’ and translates to ‘let us be’. The initiative, forged by a group of spirits industry professionals from Ukraine earlier this year – some of whom are former employees of the Kyiv’s Barometer bar show – aims to raise funds to support Ukrainian restaurants to feed 20,000 people a day, help funding medical staff and support the elderly and families in need.  

It has launched a fund raiser, asking international bars to create a cocktail or hold an event to raise awareness around the war, and to donate a share of revenue to the cause. Events have been staged around the world, with brands supporting the initiative and bars pledging profits.

So far, bars in Germany, Georgia, Romania, Belgium, UK, Italy, Spain, Czeck Republic, France, Kazakhstan and New Zealand have taken part. To support, visit budmoua.world