Kyiv bustles with life during the day — dogs are walked, kids play, cafes are packed. But at night? The city turns into a nightmare. Russian drones and rockets relentlessly hammer Ukraine’s capital. The fourth year of war has brought a surge in nighttime attacks, with drone numbers sometimes soaring into the hundreds. Officials warn that swarms of drones might become the new normal. Residents describe these attacks as the worst since the war began. Many are forced to spend nights underground in metro shelters, while by day they try to live normal lives, all under the shadow of constant fear.
25-year-old Karina Holf survived a rocket strike that destroyed her apartment. She recalls being near a window when the missile whistled by, turning her home into rubble moments later. Lucky to be alive, she says the constant proximity to death breeds dark humor and chronic exhaustion from the hours-long noise of air defenses. 35-year-old Danilo Kuzemski talks about balancing everyday life with war, as the drone buzz and explosions become part of their reality. He admits he no longer goes to shelters, prioritizing sleep, even though his apartment was destroyed in an earlier attack.
Night attacks target residential buildings, confirmed by Kyiv’s city administration head Timur Tkachenko. The tactic is to spread fear and increase civilian casualties, despite Russia’s claims of striking only military targets. Yet, solidarity among Kyiv’s residents grows stronger. Social media overflows with posts showing how people manage to keep living — grabbing a coffee, hitting the gym, making it to work — refusing to let terror break them.
Oleksandra Umanec, mother to a ten-month-old son, spends nights in the metro because it feels safer than home. She returns each morning, comforted by her child’s smile. Everyone knows what they endure, but no one talks about it — life must go on. At night, they pack bags, lay out clothes by the door, and wonder why their children must suffer for a war they never chose.
This nightly terror in Kyiv isn’t just war — it’s psychological warfare, a terror campaign aimed at breaking the spirit of a people. But Kyiv doesn’t back down. People laugh, joke, even when their hearts are heavy. As drones buzz and rockets fall, Kyiv’s residents show the world what true courage and resistance look like. So, what about you? Could you live in a city that breathes life by day and turns into a battlefield by night? Got a wild story or some dark humor from the war? Share it — maybe we all need a little laughter in these dark times.
