Four million Kyiv residents sleep in subway stations as shelter shortage grows
Military administration data shows 140 deaths in the first eight months of 2026, already exceeding last year's total pace.
By Thiago Kovalenko ·
For Halyna, a resident of the Lukyanivka district, the nightly routine has changed. She holds her five-year-old son, Roman, and tells reporters that they have been lucky to survive again. On most evenings, even without a siren, she takes him to the nearest subway station. Her apartment sits in a district that Russian forces have targeted repeatedly during the four years and eight months of the war.
The subway system now serves as the primary refuge for the city's population. With only four million residents and insufficient purpose-built shelters, people set up mattresses and small tents in the stations starting around 10 p.m. Children sleep beside adults, and pets settle near their owners or against the cold walls. The stations have effectively become dormitories for a large portion of the capital.
The death toll reflects the intensity of these attacks. Kyiv's military administration reported that 140 people were killed in the capital in the first eight months of 2026. This number already surpasses the total of 172 deaths recorded for all of 2025. If this pace continues, 2026 will become the deadliest year for Kyiv since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.
Young residents are among those affected. In September, a Russian drone struck an apartment building in the central Pechersk district. Daniel Umanskyj, 14, was doing homework in his room when the impact occurred. Vlad, a neighbor in the hallway with his daughter, said they were late that day, which saved their lives. He described the attackers as monsters who do not care who they kill. Flowers now stand in front of the damaged building in Daniel's memory.
Educational facilities have also come under fire. In early October, a drone hit a school building in southwestern Kyiv. Principal Valentyna Chorna stated that pupils and teachers were in shelters at the time. The school continues in-person classes for grades one through nine because its large shelter can hold more than 500 students. Whether lessons proceed depends on shelter availability and the duration of air raid sirens.
Parents face logistical challenges during alerts. A colleague at a news bureau in Kyiv, whose daughter attends school near the Antonov aircraft factory, noted the strain on families. Parents must work while their children stay home alone if an alarm sounds in the morning. The walk to school is risky because alerts can start at any moment. A drone struck their building in September, leaving the apartment undamaged but highlighting the proximity of threats.
Daily infrastructure is under pressure. Strikes on warehouses have created supermarket shortages not seen since the early months of the war. Emergency power outages returned at the end of September. A Russian attack also paralyzed the subway system. With energy infrastructure under fire, the city faces uncertainty regarding the provision of heat, electricity, and water this winter.
Authorities are adjusting regulations to maintain some normalcy. The curfew has been shortened to run from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Some facilities may operate during yellow alerts. During red alerts, which signal ballistic or cruise missiles or large combined attacks, residents must take shelter immediately. The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology reported in early October that 72% of residents said in September they are ready to endure the war as long as necessary.
