Dartsia Liuba and her family sought refuge in their basement during a Russian drone attack in Kyiv. Air raid sirens prompted them to find safety in the sticky darkness as explosions rattled above. Amid this chaos, Liuba's preparations included outfitting their shelter and acquiring essential safety items. Despite her family's attempts to rest, the tension lingered with neighbors who usually remained aboveground seeking shelter together. The ongoing Russian aggression has intensified, leading to increased aerial assaults on Ukrainian towns and cities, marking a grim escalation in the conflict that started with the 2022 invasion.
Liuba scooped up her seven-month-old baby daughter, Halyna, and woke her bleary-eyed nine-year-old, Orysia, and they staggered down three floors to wait in sticky darkness.
Last autumn, as Russia escalated its aerial raids, Liuba kitted out her shelter with camp beds, chairs and a squishy beanbag. The family bought a first aid kit and a fire extinguisher.
At some point Roma and Halyna dozed off. Liuba couldn't sleep. She texted a friend: It's very scary. A lot of neighbours who don't normally come to the basement are down here.
Russia has been pounding Ukrainian towns and cities since the beginning of Vladimir Putin's full-scale 2022 invasion. In recent months, however, these raids have become dramatically worse.
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