In a chilling escalation of the war in Ukraine, Russia has threatened further strikes on the capital Kyiv and urged foreign nationals to evacuate the city immediately. The warning came from the Russian defence ministry, which claimed that Ukrainian air defences were being used to attack Russian territory. Moscow stated that it would target Kyiv’s decision-making centres in response, raising fears of intensified bombardments on residential areas and infrastructure.
The announcement has sent a wave of panic through a city already battered by months of war. For the ordinary workers and families I speak to, this is the worst kind of déjà vu. The cost of living crisis, the struggle to find affordable bread and milk, the constant hum of air raid sirens. Now they face the threat of having to flee again.
Local union leaders in Kyiv told me that public transport workers are preparing emergency evacuation plans, but morale is low. “Our people are exhausted,” said one organiser. “They cannot keep running.” The government has urged calm, but the reality on the ground is one of fear and uncertainty.
The economic impact is devastating. Small businesses are shuttering, supply chains are disrupted, and the price of basic goods is spiking. A single loaf of bread now costs what a week’s worth did before the war. For those who stay, the choice is between survival and destitution.
Western nations have condemned the threats, but for the people of Kyiv, words are not enough. They need action. They need solidarity. They need to know that their lives matter more than geopolitics.
