Photo: Christian Diemer   Artificial waterfalls cascade down the slope at the former residence of toppled Ukrainian  president Vyktor Yanukovych

In this fourth installment of E&M's exclusive series about the current situation in Ukraine "On the Brink", Christian Diemer takes a trip to the former presidential residence in Mezhyhir'ya, not far from the Ukrainian capital.

A girl in a headscarf is waiting where the buses leave for the president's former residence. "No, I am not going to the residence, I live in Mezhyhir'ya." Ayya, 28, is a refugee from Donetsk. "I always wanted to live in Kyiv once in my life. And my family has come with me. So I am OK with that." Ayya is studying to become a dentist, but the university in Donetsk is no longer functioning. She moved to Kyiv just in time to register for the winter semester, which began a couple of weeks ago. "Well, how do you think the situation is over there?! Terrible." And whose side is she on? Instead of an answer, Ayya points at her backpack, where a blue and yellow ribbon is fixed.