A government-imposed lockdown in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in effect since March 12 and extended until at least May 11, has turned parts of Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital with more than 3 million people, into a ghost town as residents largely obey stay-at-home orders and venture out only if necessary.
The quarantine measures have restricted public transportation and closed restaurants, cinemas, beauty salons, shopping malls, and entertainment centers across the country. At least 2.2 million Ukrainians are now unemployed, with thousands joining the jobless ranks because of the coronavirus disruptions. Much of the workforce has stopped going to offices.
One study has found that a third of retail stores may not reopen after the quarantine ends, just one sign of a national economy that may shrink 8% in 2020.
