How Ukraine’s capital copes with Russia’s two-month long nighttime attacks — Report

For two months now, as the sun sets over Kyiv, families head underground.

Russia’s nightly airstrikes have turned sleeping into a calculated act of survival.

Parents pack bags, grab pillows, and carry their children into subway stations, shopping malls, and underground parking lots — any space deep enough to shield them from falling missiles.

Some people bring inflatable mattresses. Others stretch out on yoga mats. Families carve out corners for privacy.

Conversations are hushed. Sleep, when it comes, is light and broken.

“We used to go to bed after reading stories. Now we run for shelter after the sirens,” said Olha Mykhailenko, a mother of two.

Her family has been sleeping in a basement for 47 nights.

The nighttime assaults started in mid-May.

Since then, Russia has launched hundreds of drones and missiles toward Ukraine’s capital, aiming to exhaust air defenses and terrorize civilians.

Ukraine’s military says it has intercepted most of them — but some still break through.

Air raid alerts sound almost every night.

The strikes often begin after midnight, making it impossible for residents to maintain normal routines.

City officials have opened more than 500 public shelters.

Some subway stations now hold food, bottled water, and power banks. Volunteers distribute blankets and diapers.

“I can’t keep going to the shelter every night,” said Andriy, a 63-year-old retiree.

“My legs hurt. I just stay home and hope the roof holds.”

Doctors say sleep deprivation is becoming a secondary crisis.

Children are anxious. Adults are irritable and exhausted.

Some have lost jobs due to poor performance caused by chronic fatigue.

“Lack of sleep over this long a period affects memory, judgment, and even immune response,” said Dr. Kateryna Holub, a Kyiv-based neurologist.

“It’s a public health emergency in slow motion.”

Despite the fear, life in Kyiv continues.

Bakeries open early. Schools run classes, even if students arrive groggy.

At night, people share shelter selfies, track missile paths on mobile apps, and offer tips on which basement has the best mobile signal.

“We’re tired. But we’re still here,” said Danylo, a 28-year-old IT worker. “That’s our victory — not leaving.”

(Reuters)

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