Photo/Illutration Fumiya Takagaki with his family in summer 2021. His wife and children have evacuated to a suburb of Kyiv, he said. (Provided by Fumiya Takagaki)

Although the sounds of war keep getting closer, Fumiya Takagaki has remained in central Kyiv along with his camera, which has gotten him into a bit of trouble.

Takagaki, a 56-year-old Japanese who owns a marriage-assistance business in the Ukrainian capital, said the gunfire and explosions have gotten louder since the Russian invasion started on Feb. 24.

His family members have fled Kyiv and are taking shelter in a suburb, but Takagaki did not join them.

“I want to help my co-workers and friends who have stayed in the city when the worst happens,” said Takagaki, who moved to Kyiv about 15 years ago from Osaka.

On Feb. 28, he said he went outside after the curfew was lifted and saw bullet holes in the walls of city hall and cars with shattered windows on the streets.

People waited in line in front of a supermarket without knowing if it would open, he said.

The previous day, when the curfew was issued, he shut the curtains during the daytime and turned off the lights in his home to avoid being a target for Russian soldiers. He said explosions and gunshots frequently rang out.

Residents started to evacuate Kyiv in droves on Feb. 24, and routes heading west were backed up with cars.

Train tickets to Poland from the station closest to his home were sold out for four days. Fares for taxi rides tripled.

He is now taking videos of the city and posting them on YouTube to show people in Japan what is going on in Ukraine, he said.

He said Kyiv residents were always calm, and he had never gotten into trouble with them since he moved in.

But when he is filming now, some residents have raised their voices at him, saying, “Are you a Russian spy?”

“People in Kyiv have tensed up and are full of anger, and they question why Russia has gone this far,” he said.

He noted the shared history between the two countries and said he knows many Ukrainians who have relatives in Russia.

Takagaki said he is sad because he feels like he is watching citizens of the same country fighting each other.

In mid-February, Takagaki said, he asked a police officer about the situation.

The officer stated confidently that Russia “will not invade Kyiv ever,” he said.

But everything changed on Feb. 24.

Takagaki said he was hopeful when he heard news that talks between Ukraine and Russia would be held.

“It is best to come to an agreement through negotiations. Citizens of both countries do not want this situation. I want people around the world to call for peace and stop this sad war,” he said.

The talks on the border of Belarus ended with no breakthrough. And the Russian assault has continued.

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