Digital Desk: Explosions were reported in several locations of Ukraine, including the capital Kyiv, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “special military operation” in Ukraine on February 24. Missiles could be seen zipping by, and air raid sirens could be heard.
Despite Russia’s promises to target military infrastructure rather than civilians, the threat to Ukrainian life is apparent and immediate. In this time of danger, people in Kyiv are fleeing and seeking shelter in the city’s underground metro stations. Kyiv’s enormous metro system also serves as a bomb shelter. It is the eastern European country’s oldest and largest underground network.
According to Agence France Presse, people in Kyiv were spotted heading towards underground metro stations as martial law was proclaimed in the face of a Russian offensive.
Earlier this month, Vitali Klitschko, the mayor of Kyiv, claimed that the city had planned to shelter people in the underground metro stations in the case of a Russian invasion.
In an interview at the time, Vitali Klitschko said, “The major bomb shelter in the city of Kyiv will also be the Kyiv subway, which, in the event of — God forbid — zero hour, will be ready to accommodate individuals who can take shelter in case of a hypothetical attack.”
Many civilians, including students, were trained on where to go if a bomb went off. It was a subway station for many.
“Subways in Kyiv have a dual meaning: they are both a metro and a bomb shelter. As a result, they were educating and training the children how to go outside the school without panicking, ensuring that everything was in order.” a Kyiv resident told a news agency.
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