I Will Die in a Foreign Land

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In 1913, a Russian ballet incited a riot in Paris, exemplifying the chaos that only a Russian could evoke. Fast forward to November 2013, when thousands of Ukrainians gathered at Independence Square in Kyiv to protest President Yanukovych's decision to align with Russia instead of signing a referendum with the European Union. The peaceful demonstrations escalated into violence as military police opened fire, resulting in over a hundred civilian deaths. The narrative follows four individuals during this turbulent Ukrainian winter, each profoundly affected by the Euromaidan protests. Katya, a Ukrainian-American doctor, works at a makeshift clinic in St. Michael's Monastery; Misha, an engineer from Pripyat, navigates life in Kyiv after losing his wife; Slava, a passionate young activist, draws strength from her past struggles; and Aleksandr Ivanovich, a former KGB agent, finds solace in playing the piano atop a burned police bus. Their lives intertwine as they seek comfort amid the chaos, while a chorus of voices weaves in folklore and recounts a complex Slavic history, enriching the narrative.