Escalating Russian drone raids strain Kyiv’s commuters, schools and winter preparations

Over the last week and a half Moscow’s use of high-speed, jet-powered drones has shifted from night-only raids to almost round-the-clock attacks on Kyiv, shattering attempts to keep a semblance of normal life. The strikes have wounded civilians, including Vitaliia Poliakova and her partner, and damaged apartment blocks, prompting some inhabitants to consider leaving the city. Public transport, notably the metro, repeatedly halts when air-raid alerts sound, and shoppers must abandon supermarkets mid-visit as supplies, especially dairy, dwindle.

Power and water cuts are expected to worsen with the approaching winter, adding to daily strain. Schools have resumed despite the danger, moving classes to underground shelters after sirens sound, and children are adapting though they remain anxious. Polling shows Kyiv’s population increasingly opposes any territorial concessions to Russia.