Kyiv students sheltered during a Russian drone attack on the first day of school, continuing their lessons underground as the war remains an everyday reality

Kyiv has been under attack by jet-powered drones for four days now. Unlike the “scooters,” these drones are practically inaudible. We’re currently getting dozens of air raid alerts a day. The all-clear sounds, and soon afterward more drones arrive and another alert is declared. The goal seems obvious: to paralyze the city. The drones themselves are targeting grocery supermarket warehouses and large businesses. One was just shot down almost directly overhead, at high altitude. All that remains is a black cloud in the sky. These drones are reportedly loaded with metal pellets designed to hit as many people as possible, so altitude and distance are our best friends. Still, the shock wave from the explosion was noticeable, it felt like a blow to the chest. I know everyone will say, “Take care of yourself,” “Stay in a shelter,” and so on. But when the alerts and attacks continue around the clock, it’s simply unrealistic to spend your entire life in a shelter.

Kyiv residents faced renewed commuter disruption as repeated air raid alerts halted metro service across the Dnipro River. Among them was Yulianna Oliynyk and her sons who had spent about an hour waiting and had been forced to stay overnight with relatives the previous day

Kyiv residents faced renewed commuter disruption as repeated air raid alerts halted metro service across the Dnipro River. Among them was Yulianna Oliynyk and her sons who had spent about an hour waiting and had been forced to stay overnight with relatives the previous day