Sappers and archaeologists led the way, said the canal’s resident historian, Volodymyr Sklyarov; they cleared World War II ordnance and the occasional trove of ancient Scythian treasure. The canal even has its own anthem, still framed on the wall of the canal’s headquarters. “We built the canal in peace, along with the whole great and powerful country,” the words go. And he had them put up a sign saying they were installing a flow-measurement mechanism, to put Russian intelligence on the wrong track. He is convinced that blocking the canal was the right decision because it imposed costs on Moscow, much as military resistance would have.

Source: New York Times May 08, 2021 11:26 UTC