Russian strikes and approaching winter force many in Kyiv to pack bags and flee
As Russian attacks on Ukraine's capital intensify, some Kyiv residents are making plans to leave before winter sets in. The immediate concern is not only the risk from drones and missiles, but also the prospect of another season of prolonged power cuts and cold weather. For families already living through repeated alerts and damage, the decision is becoming one of whether they can remain in the city at all.
Sponsored
One of those leaving is Mariia Shostak, a mother of two who said last winter in Kyiv was extremely difficult because of sub-zero temperatures and frequent outages caused by strikes on the power grid. She said the latest wave of attacks changed her thinking in late August and early September, when Kyiv began coming under near-continuous fire. According to her account, earlier drones and missiles were intercepted on the outskirts, but more recent strikes have been happening over the centre of the city.
By the end of September, the attacks had included petrol stations, power plants and key bridges over the Dnipro river, according to the report. Kyiv mayor Vitaly Klitschko said the city was facing a very dramatic situation. The pressure on residents is not limited to direct damage, because repeated strikes have also revived fears of another winter of blackouts and disruption to daily life.
The situation matters because winter has become a major factor in the war's humanitarian impact on urban areas far from the front line. In Kyiv, the combination of air raids, infrastructure damage and cold weather is shaping whether families can stay in place or feel forced to move. That makes the capital's resilience a wider test of Ukraine's ability to protect civilians while its energy system remains under attack.
Sponsored
Mariia said she does not feel safe in Ukraine and plans to spend the winter in Hurghada on Egypt's Red Sea coast with her children, Artur and Kira. She said the move is cheaper than going to Europe and warmer than staying in Kyiv. Her children were both born after Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, which underlines how long the war has already shaped family decisions in the capital.
The report also points to a broader pattern of displacement pressure. A September survey by the Gradus research company found that 40% of Ukrainians were considering relocating if living conditions continued to deteriorate, while 35% said they would not move and 25% were undecided. The survey suggests that electricity, blackouts and wider stress are all feeding into decisions about whether to remain in place.
The latest developments come after weeks of escalating attacks that have widened beyond isolated strikes and into a sustained campaign against urban infrastructure. The report says Russian attacks have intensified around the clock since late August and early September, with wreckage from drones visible on the streets of Kyiv. It also says the pattern of strikes has expanded to include major logistics and energy targets, adding to the strain on civilians and local authorities.
What remains unclear is how many more residents may decide to leave before winter and whether the attacks on Kyiv will intensify further in the coming weeks. It is also not clear how severe the coming cold season will be or how much disruption the power grid can absorb. The next developments to watch are the scale of further strikes, the condition of energy infrastructure and whether more families follow Mariia Shostak in choosing to leave the capital.
Sponsored
Sponsored
