'The threat of war was close': ex-actor Ix Shen, who is in Kyiv, Ukraine
At about 10pm on Wednesday (Feb 23) night (4am on Thursday, Singapore time), Singaporean Ix Shen was standing on his balcony in Kyiv, Ukraine, when he heard a loud explosion in the distance.
It was the first time he had heard such a sound, and he knew that the threat of war was close.
He told The Straits Times: "It was a very instantaneous flash. For a moment, I thought it was the moon being covered by the clouds, but the clouds would not have been able to move that fast.
"Maybe about three seconds later, I heard a very loud boom."
Mr Shen, 50, a former Mediacorp actor, has lived in the Podil district in Kyiv for the past four months with his wife, a Ukrainian to whom he has been married for seven years.
Speaking to ST via Zoom on Thursday from his balcony, he said he estimated the first explosion to be 20km to 40km away, and had heard a few more since, as well as a series of air raid sirens. He also witnessed low-flying fighter jets near his home.
Life in Kyiv has been upended since Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "military operation" in Ukraine on Thursday.
Mr Shen added: "The economy has come to a standstill pretty much because most of the shops are closed. The buses and the subway are still operating... People were worried that they wouldn't be able to make online transactions to buy the groceries and water that they need. Fortunately, that is still available."
Mr Shen, who said he is still involved in the film business since winning talent hunt Star Search in 1995, added that he and his wife, who is a traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, do not plan to leave the country for now, as she is a reservist medical officer who may be called up for duty.
He said he has reassured his family and friends in Singapore that he is safe, but the couple, who have no children, are worried about her family in the southern port city of Odessa, particularly her grandmother, who is in her 90s and cannot walk.
Mr Shen said that he has stocked up on essential items like rice, canned food and gas to cook with, in case they lose power, which he plans to share with others in the community.
He added that while he may be able to leave, he wants to stay to help those around him.
He said: "I will not be able to live with myself if I just take off and go on my own.
"My main focus is to help in any way I can, to help my family, friends, neighbours to survive this situation."
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