KYIV — In three years of war, I, like many other Ukrainians, got used to air raid sirens howling through the night.
Despite that, I used to feel safe in Kyiv, which was strongly protected by the best Western air defenses.
Hours later, the Kremlin unleashed the largest missile and drone barrage against Kyiv since the war began.
Nowadays, when an air raid siren starts howling, I sleep on the floor of my corridor.
“Air raid sirens across the country.
KYIV — Like many Ukrainians, I grew accustomed to hearing air raid sirens blaring through the night during the three years of war.
Even so, Kyiv, which was well-defended by the best air defenses in the West, used to make me feel safe. In order to seek refuge under our Patriot systems, many people traveled to the capital from other, less well-defended areas.
Since Donald Trump took office again earlier this year and changed U.S. policy, that is no longer the case. A. strategy for Ukraine. In an effort to compel Kyiv to engage in peace talks with Russia, he first reduced military aid in March. He has since repeated it while the U. S. Analyzing its ammunition supplies, the White House declares that the choice was made “to put America’s interests first.”. “.”.
Trump and Putin spoke again Thursday, and the U.S. S. . In terms of convincing the Russian leader to halt the war, the president acknowledged that “I didn’t make any progress.”. The biggest drone and missile assault against Kyiv since the start of the war was launched by the Kremlin a few hours later.
Massive attacks now happen at least twice a week, demonstrating the growing scope of Russian attacks. Trump has made declarations about peace, but that is the new reality.
I now sleep on my hallway floor when an air raid siren begins to sound. In their bathrooms, on the platforms of the Kyiv subway, or in parking lots, other Kyivans sleep. These are typically spaces that provide some shelter from glass fragments from broken windows.
More than three million people live in Kyiv, a city that has not yet built adequate bomb shelters for all of its citizens. Every night has turned into a lottery of fear for those of us who don’t have access to adequate shelters or subway lines.
Nationwide air raid sirens. Everyone is brought out for execution, it seems. However, just one individual is targeted. In most cases, the one at the edge. Ukrainian author Victoria Amelina, who was killed by a missile in a café in the eastern city of Kramatorsk in 2023, writes a poem that reads, “This time, not you; all clear.”.
I feel unusually safe in my corridor, as though I’m in a circle that has been drawn in chalk and would frighten monsters away.
On Thursday night, when the Russians began bombing us, I looked around to see if my first aid kit, phone, documents, and water bottle were close by. In my new pajamas, I would at last appear respectable in the event that rescuers had to look beneath the debris to find me.
I slapped my head after realizing that I had forgotten to purchase a whistle once more. I just recently learned that screaming while waiting for help is bad because it wastes air and could cause you to die before help arrives.
Dark horror. .
Then came another night of lack of sleep, acoustic terror, explosions, and incessant messages to those you care about and know: “Are you guys OK?”. Others attempt to divert their attention by making hotel reservations or shopping online.
Some become bare-nerved, while others become wise men, because they are prepared to die at any time. I hugged my cat, ordered some fresh flowers, and consumed bread with lard, tomato, and onion during the attack last night,” said psychologist Olga Solomka, who resides in the Kyiv region.
Your body becomes heavy when you sleep on the floor and occasionally crunches painfully in unexpected places. We are all attempting to be patient with one another because the hour of sleep you typically get is typically enough to put you in your villain mode.
We still have to get up and go to work in the morning because life and resiliency must go on. Particularly at this time, when we believe that our once-strongest ally is turning against us and even aiding Russia in its long-term objective of destroying and exhausting the West.
Along with waves of drones, Ukraine is still unable to produce a missile analog that would be as effective as the Patriot in defending against the ballistic and hypersonic missiles that Russia uses on a daily basis against civilian areas. Europe appears to be having difficulty supporting us as well.
On Friday, U. S. Russia launched a record-breaking 550 drone and missile attack on Independence Day. We Ukrainians got up and carried on with our everyday activities following the attack. While hospitals cared for the injured and businesses reopened in spite of broken windows, life continued until the following evening.
Since everyone is in the same situation, it’s interesting that nobody inquires about how the night went during the day. According to Vladyslav Faraponov, 27, the director of the Institute of American Studies, who resides in the heart of the capital, “you are fine if you are still there by lunchtime.”.
“At eight in the morning today. m. I told my dentist that I was sorry for being late. He said, “What are you talking about? Everyone is standing hardly at all, like they all went out to party until the morning,” Faraponov continued.
Every discussion seems to be tinged with disenchantment with the United States, our greatest ally. We continue to cry out for assistance, but it feels like we’re shouting into thin air. Death has crept into our daily lives, but for many of the countries that once stood by us, our pain appears to have become someone else’s concern.
Of course, we still have faith, but our hope wanes one drop at a time with every new attack that is once more “condemned by the free world,” which is still afraid to impose harsh sanctions on Russia, install more air defense systems, or give Ukraine access to the Kremlin’s frozen assets.