Life in Kiev has become normally hellish

Experiencing Never-Ending War in Homeless Kyiv

Kiev Experiences Continued Chaos and Disruptions as Unrest Persists

By Denis T., Kyiv

Last week, Kyiv faced one of its toughest nights in years. Russians unleashed 479 drones in Ukraine, terrorizing the city in a relentless assault. The shrill drone whine and the explosions of air defense systems caused chaos and fear. How long can people endure such inhuman treatment?

The residents of Kyiv have grown accustomed to difficult nights since the conflict began over three years ago. A night like Monday to Tuesday was rare, even in May two years ago when the Russians launched near-daily attacks on the capital. More than 300 of the drones deployed at the beginning of the week targeted the city. Their piercing motorbike-like sound was heard throughout the city for hours, accompanied by the gunfire of air defense. Damage was reported in seven out of ten Kyiv districts.

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What initially seemed like a scene out of Star Wars has become intolerable reality. The people of Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities have no choice but to persevere. Neither air raids nor nightly alerts have ceased since at least the autumn of 2024. Russia has been ramping up its long-range drone attacks against Ukrainian territory ever since then. When 300 drones were launched in one night was previously considered a record. Now, it may reach up to 500, as happened on June 9, during the Russian army's deployment of 479 drones.

War has become an enduring state of existence for people in Ukraine, even in seemingly distant areas like Kyiv. Although they try, people can barely carry on with their normal lives: going to work, dropping by a bar, or booking a table at a restaurant. But everyone knows—it's far from normal. The sensitive mobilization issue weighs heavily on men. By now, no one doesn't have family members or friends fighting or even injured or killed.

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The sustained bombardment aims to exhaust and demoralize the people of Ukraine. Those without a nearby bomb shelter should sleep on a mattress in the hallway at night. The mattress offers some protection, providing two walls if the window glass breaks due to shockwaves. Memes and dark jokes like "I never thought renting an apartment in a building with an underground garage would be the best investment of my life" have been circulated in the Ukrainian online community for a long time.

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The Russian approach is methodical, even when the Kremlin claims the initial attacks were a "revenge strike" for Ukraine's successful operation "Web" on June 1. With first-person-view drones transported on trucks, the Ukrainian security service SBU managed to disable several strategic bombers that have been launching rockets at Ukraine since 2022.

More, but not all, of the bombers have been destroyed. Satellite images suggest only 11, with five in an ambiguous state. This means roughly one-tenth of Russia's strategic fleet has been disabled from a relatively inexpensive operation, costing Russia billions in losses. The debate about so-called "revenge strikes" is primarily in the realm of public relations and propaganda, even when Ukraine labels its successful actions as such. For instance, Russia's first wave of attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure between October 2022 and March 2023 ran uninterrupted. Although Russia attempted to present the initial attack after the partial explosion of the Crimean Bridge as retaliation, it is likely that the attacks on Ukrainian power plants continued all winter due to the Crimean Bridge rather than in retaliation for it."

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Meanwhile, Russia is again focusing its attacks on power plants, even those heavily used in summer. As they did last year, Russian forces hinder cooling facilities. In July 2024, Kyiv residents were without power for over 12 hours a day at times. The summer was tougher than the winter of 2024/2025. The attacks on energy targets were systematic, but moderate weather aided Ukraine. Another target of interest is air defense. The sheer number of drones employed primarily overwhelms and confuses Ukraine's air defense. Ukraine attempts to preserve Western air defense systems as much as possible but their cost and limited availability make it uncertain if US support will continue.

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Apart from the air war, Ukraine faces a complex summer. Russia has not achieved a substantial breakthrough on the front, but in May, it secured more Ukrainian territory than any month since late 2022. Russia's summer campaign is underway, with a focus on northern Donetsk and cities like Konstantinovka, Kramatorsk, and Sloviansk. However, a new front is emerging in the northern Sumy Oblast. Given that a Russian summer offensive was expected, this isn't surprising. The outcome will decide the war's future, and the sirens of Kyiv will continue to wail.

The ongoing drone attacks in Kyiv highlight the need for updated community and employment policies to accommodate the affected residents, as they struggle to maintain normal lives amid the relentless war.
As Russia continues to escalate its long-range drone attacks and conventional warfare against Ukraine, it is crucial for international politics to address this issue urgently, to prevent further conflict and protect civilian lives.