Ukrainians mark midsummer with

KHOTIV, Ukraine (AP) — Despite war-time restrictions, Ukrainians marked midsummer with festivals that featured frenetic folk dancing, flower decoration and jumping over bonfires. The festival of Ivana Kupala on Sunday was held as Ukrainians start their third summer at war, with Kyiv and other cities hit by regular blackouts and remaining under nightly curfew. An hour’s drive south of the capital, several thousand joined the summer festival, many wearing shirts and dresses embroidered with traditional patterns. Twisting soft twigs around leaves and flowers, Kateryna Harnik made floral crowns for herself and friends. Harnik, a Kyiv resident, said she was happy to attend a rare outdoor gathering. “People always like to get together. And in times like this, with this terrible war going on, we still need the opportunity to come together, to bond together,” she said, as a group of women in traditional costumes took the nearby stage to sing in harmony. This year’s celebration, Harnik said, carried additional significance for Ukrainians, as their statehood and identity is challenged.