Kyiv families move into subway stations as shelter shortage grows

In the Lukyanivka district of Kyiv, Halyna holds her five-year-old son, Roman, as she waits for the evening siren. For months, her family has treated the local metro station as a second home. From approximately 10 p.m. each night, residents of the city's four million-person population lay out mattresses and pitch small tents on the tiled platforms. Children sleep beside parents, and pets rest against strangers along the cold walls. Halyna told Deutsche Welle that she takes Roman underground on most evenings, even when no alarm sounds. "We're alive," she said. "We've been lucky once again."

The nightly migration to underground shelters is driven by a gap between the number of residents and the available protection. The city's military administration reports that 140 people were killed in Kyiv during the first eight months of 2026. This figure already exceeds the 172 deaths recorded for the entire year of 2025. If the current pace continues, 2026 will become the deadliest year for the capital since the full-scale invasion began in 2022.

Recent strikes have targeted areas where families live and children learn. In September, a Russian drone hit an apartment building in the central Pechersk district, killing 14-year-old Daniel Umanskyj, who was doing homework in his room. Vlad, a neighbor who was in the hallway with his daughter at the time, said the family had arrived late that day, which saved their lives. "These sick monsters don't care who they kill," Vlad said. Flowers now sit outside the damaged building in Daniel's memory.

Schools have also become sites of conflict and continuity. In early October, a drone struck a school building in southwestern Kyiv. Principal Valentyna Chorna said the pupils and teachers were already in shelters when the impact occurred. The school continues to teach students in grades one through nine in person because its large shelter can hold more than 500 people. However, attendance depends on when sirens sound. If an alert triggers in the morning while children are still home, they may miss class. Parents often face the stress of choosing between work and staying home with a child alone.

Infrastructure damage has compounded the daily strain. Strikes on warehouses have led to supermarket shortages not seen since the war's early months. Emergency power outages returned at the end of September, and a Russian attack temporarily paralyzed the subway system. With energy infrastructure under fire, the city faces uncertainty regarding its ability to provide reliable heat, electricity, and water during the winter.

Residents report maintaining their routines despite the pressure. The Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 72% of the city's residents said in September they were ready to endure the war for as long as necessary. Authorities have shortened the curfew to run from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. Some facilities may operate during "yellow" alerts, but people must take shelter immediately during "red" alerts, which signal ballistic or cruise missiles or large combined attacks.