Moscow seeks a ‘sense of normal’ amid Ukraine conflict

By JIM HEINTZ
Associated Press

MOSCOW (AP) — Six months after Russia sent troops into Ukraine, there’s little sign of the conflict on Moscow’s streets and the capital’s residents seem unconcerned about the economic and political sanctions imposed by Western countries. Although many foreign businesses have closed, Muscovites who missed their American-style treats such as Big Macs are taking heart from entrepreneurs who are trying to fill the gap. The country’s long-term economic prospects are uncertain and no one knows when or how the fighting in Ukraine will end. A young Muscovite relaxing along the river on a summer day says: “We walk around, go around as usual.”