How safe is it to travel to Kiev?

Have a question? Ask our expert Simon Calder

Q Have you been to Kiev in Ukraine? Is it safe to travel there now? And do travellers need a language, in which case should it be Russian or Ukrainian?

Liam B

A I have visited the Ukrainian capital several times and find it a beautiful, interesting and friendly city. Visiting Kiev should be safe, but since the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, and the continuing uprising in the east of Ukraine, the Foreign Office has warned against travel to other parts of the nation. The current dispute over the seizure by Russia of three Ukrainian navy vessels in the Sea of Azov has increased tension.

The Foreign Office says: “You may see increased numbers of security forces on the streets of Ukraine’s cities, more frequent checkpoints, and increased checks if you are crossing to/from Crimea, or between Ukraine and Russia.

“Remember that it is a requirement of Ukrainian law that you should carry your passport with you at all times as proof of ID.”

Ideally you should learn some Ukrainian before visiting (though Russian is also widely understood). Even if you have no time to invest in learning the spoken language, mastering the Cyrillic alphabet will pay big dividends: Ukrainian script has 33 letters, and with some concentration you can learn them during a four-hour flight to Kiev. You will then be able to decipher street names, use public transport and deduce that a sign reading PECTOPAH transliterates as “restoran” and signifies a restaurant.

Every day our travel correspondent Simon Calder tackles a reader’s question. Just email yours to s@hols.tv or tweet @simoncalder