By day, the Ukrainian capital hums with life — crowded metros, dog walkers and children on playgrounds. By night, Kyiv becomes a battleground as Russia unleashes relentless drone and missile attacks that chase much of the population underground for safety.
The nighttime assaults have intensified in the fourth year of the full-scale invasion, with the number of drones sometimes exceeding 700. Swarms of 1,000 drones could soon become the norm, officials say.
Many people in Kyiv describe the recent attacks as the most terrifying of the war, and even residents who previously ignored sirens have been driven into bomb shelters in the subway system.
“During the day, you walk around, drink coffee, smile, meet friends, talk, have hobbies, chill,” said Karyna Holf, 25. “But at night, you brace for death every time you hear the sound of a Shahed drone or a missile.”
A Russian attack on Thursday badly damaged her apartment. She was in the living room near a window when she heard the whistling sound of an incoming weapon. Moments later, the home shattered into pieces. She was lucky to survive.
Living with fear
The constant proximity to death often fuels dark humour. At night, many are paralyzed by fear. But by day, they joke that they don’t sleep naked, just in case they end up under rubble and rescuers have to pull them out.
“It’s like a computer game where you try to survive and still remain functional,” said Danylo Kuzemskyi, 35, describing the balance between daily life and war.
The buzzing of drones — often ending in explosions — and the constant thud of air defences can last for hours. The noise leaves many people chronically exhausted from lack of sleep.
The drones blanket wide areas of the city, covered in darkness pierced only by the flashes of air defence fire. The air is filled with smoke and the smell of gunpowder.
Residential buildings under threat
Since the beginning of the year, more than 800 sites in Kyiv have been hit, including over 600 residential buildings, said the head of the Kyiv city administration, Tymur Tkachenko.
“They are deliberately hitting apartment buildings and urban districts,” he said. “This is their tactic — to spread fear and increase the number of civilian casualties.”
Russia insists that it strikes only military targets, though there are abundant examples throughout the war of civilian infrastructure being hit.
The attacks have also strengthened the solidarity among Kyiv residents. On social media, people post with pride that they can still grab a cappuccino in the morning, make it to a workout or keep their appointments — without cancelling a thing.
“I understand that Russia’s terror is aimed not only at military targets but at the entire Ukrainian people. Russia is trying to demoralize us,” said Kuzemskyi, whose apartment was destroyed in a previous attack. “Is it succeeding? In my case, I’d say no.”
He is among those who no longer go to shelters during attacks, saying he now “prioritizes sleep” over safety.
For Oleksandra Umanets, 23, who has a 10-month-old son, the shelter in the subway feels safer than her home at night.
Around 5 a.m. local time, she usually leaves the shelter with her child, walks home, lies down to sleep and wakes up relieved to see her baby smiling.
“I see the same kids running, playing — and moms who are smiling,” she said of their walks during the day. “You wouldn’t guess they spent the night in the metro or didn’t sleep at all, even though everyone knows it. But no one talks about it. Everyone just keeps living.”
Then evening comes. She packs a bag, places it by the door, prepares the stroller and lays out clothes for herself and her baby. When the siren sounds again, she’s ready to hide.
“When it’s about you — that’s one thing. But when it’s about your child, for what?” she said. “To kill him just for being born in Ukraine? He didn’t choose where to be born.”
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