They're fixing the building, but not our souls: Kyiv neighborhood left shattered by Russian strike

When Russia threatened to intensify its attacks on Kyiv, residents began spending nights in the underground metro. On the night of the latest strike, the city was rocked by a series of drone‑ and missile‑borne explosions that shattered apartment windows, turned cars into twisted wrecks, and sent a haze of dust across the streets.

More than 41,000 people – including roughly 4,500 children – were in the metro, a new record for recent years. Yet, for many, the terror has never been more intense.

In the usually quiet Vynohradar district, the strikes produced an almost apocalyptic scene. The high‑rise blocks that once hummed with ordinary city life now lay in ruin: shattered glass, burnt cars, and black smoke hanging in the air. Anna, a resident of a nine‑storey building, watched as one of many shells hit her car. “They’ll repair the building, but not our souls,” she told reporters, recognizing the larger loss in spirit and safety the attack inflicted on Kyiv and a nation at war.

In the immediate aftermath, city officials and volunteers mobilised. Rescue teams cleared rubble, psychologists attended to shell‑shocked residents, and food and water were distributed to those left in distress. Police moved residents away from high‑rise balconies that still threw shards of glass during the sudden wind.

Even minutes later, everyday rhythms resumed. Children played on swings; road workers laid new tarmac; buses ran as usual, minutes away from the blast site. This resilience illustrates Kyiv’s fierce commitment to keep life moving forward, even as the war reshapes the city’s landscape and spirit.