"Squid Game and dancing on tables to Loboda. This is how Odessa celebrated Valentine's Day amid the war."

Odessa celebrated Valentine's Day with great enthusiasm. This year, the holiday fell on a Friday, and the city's establishments were bustling with visitors.

Local Telegram channels are sharing videos of the celebrations. One venue, the restaurant "Golden Fleece," hosted a themed show inspired by the South Korean series "Squid Game." During the performance, the most vibrant and active participants were treated to cocktails, after playfully tapping a glass on the head of a guest—albeit while they were wearing a helmet. Amid the ongoing war, where Odessa hears so many loud sounds, such entertainment feels a bit unusual.

Overall, the establishments in Odessa were overflowing with guests on the evening of February 14, predominantly women. One of them, at the karaoke restaurant Berushi, put on a lively and provocative dance on the table to a song by Svetlana Loboda in Russian.

By the way, Kiev also celebrated Valentine's Day. Photojournalist Yan Dobronosov captured images on the streets of the capital—people strolled in pairs and alone, buying flowers and heart-shaped balloons, and visiting cafes and restaurants.

Previously, "Telegraph" reported that on Valentine's Day, flowers in Ukraine were sold at astronomical prices. For instance, in Kiev, a luxurious bouquet of 1001 roses shaped like a heart was offered. Its price is 111,899 hryvnias.