The war in Ukraine is already showing clear signs of taking its toll on the civilian population, whilst the military continues to hold back the Russian advance and use drones to sabotage Russian supply lines and factories behind the front lines. However, Moscow's strategy now involves ballistic missile strikes on the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. These attacks are currently impossible for the Ukrainian army to counter, as it has not yet received the air defense systems promised by its European and NATO partners.
The situation is becoming increasingly dire because, in the face of these attacks, the only way for citizens to protect themselves is to rush to take shelter in one of Kyiv's 4,000 bomb shelters - which are, however, completely inadequate for the population. According to the Reuters report, only 500 of these shelters are actually effective against this type of attack, and the government will not be able to start building a new mega-shelter (planned since 2022) until September.
Metro stations have also become an alternative place to spend the night, but overcrowding and tensions amongst those pitching their tents there, the lack of oversight by security guards and, in general, the administration's failure to address this situation, threaten to undermine the one thing that has remained steadfast since the conflict began: the citizens' unwavering support for Zelensky's defence policy.