Air Raid Alerts in Kyiv

An air raid alert is an official warning about a possible air, missile, or drone attack. When an alert is announced, residents and visitors are urged to go to a shelter immediately. Unfortunately, air raid alerts happen in Kyiv almost every day, sometimes several times a day, so it’s helpful to know in advance what to expect and how to respond.

How will you know an alert has been announced?

When an air raid alert begins, you’ll hear sirens sounding through loudspeakers across the city. The siren signals the start of danger only — it does not signal the all-clear.

You can also receive alerts through the free mobile apps Tryvoha! and Kyiv Digital. They send notifications about both the start and the end of an alert directly to your phone if mobile internet is enabled. Both apps are available in Ukrainian and English and allow you to adjust notification sounds and volume.

What should you do during an air raid alert?

The safest option during an alert is to go to a shelter or bomb shelter and take essential items with you. Shelters include metro stations, underground pedestrian crossings, underground parking garages, and specially equipped basements in residential and public buildings. You can find the nearest shelter using the Tryvoha! app, the Kyiv Digital app, or the official shelter map.

If you are at home and there is no shelter nearby, stay as far away from windows as possible and follow the “two-wall rule.” This means there should be at least two solid walls between you and the street — exterior or load-bearing walls, not thin interior partitions.

How does the city operate during an alert?

During an air raid alert, the following restrictions may apply:

• Shopping malls close, and theater performances, movie screenings, and concerts are paused.
• Most shops and restaurants stay open, but some chains — such as McDonald’s — close during alerts.
• The metro runs only on underground sections of the lines, so crossing between the right and left banks of the city is only possible by ground transport, taxi, or car.
• Buses, trolleybuses, trams, and minibuses may run off schedule. If you are traveling between the two riverbanks, expect long lines at stops and traffic jams, especially near bridges across the Dnipro.
• Taxis are harder to get, and fares often increase significantly, especially for cross-river trips.

You may notice that not all Kyiv residents go to shelters during alerts. Many locals have developed a certain level of risk tolerance after long periods of wartime conditions, and each person makes their own decision. While going to a shelter is a recommendation rather than a legal requirement, it is still safer not to ignore the alert and to take cover when possible.