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Home » Trip Reports » Ukraine 2023 Trip Report » Air Raid Sirens In Kyiv
UkraineUkraine 2023 Trip Report

Air Raid Sirens In Kyiv

Matthew Klint Posted onFebruary 23, 2023November 13, 2023 26 Comments

a man taking a selfie with a tank

I heard my first air raid sirens in Kyiv, an eerie reminder that even in the bustling capital city that otherwise appears normal, this nation is at war.

Air Raid Sirens In Kyiv

After arriving at the central railway station and enjoying a cup of coffee, I walked through the beautiful ornate station and stepped outside.

a group of people in a large building

a large building with many windows

Uber works very well in Ukraine; my car was just a few minutes away.

a group of cars on a street

Outside, a young man came up to me and tied a blue and yellow ribbon to my wrist. He was collecting money “for Ukraine” he said. I chuckled…scam or not, I gave him a $1 US bill.

a person holding sunglasses in their hand

The station serves as an air raid shelter, but on this bright and sunny afternoon life was bustling as normal (a theme I am observing).

a sign in front of a building

I checked into the Hyatt Regency hotel and one of the first things the check-in associate pointed out was that there was a bomb shelter one level below reception.

Me: Are we required to go there when the sirens go off?

Hotel Associate: No. It is just there in case you wish to use it.

Me: How often do the air raid sirens go off?

Hotel Associate: Usually a couple times per day. You can download an app and it will alert you when there is activity in the area.

Me: Do you go down to the shelter when the sirens go off?

Hotel Associate: No.

As an aside, I was not upgraded to a suite even though the hotel was mostly empty and has 25 suites. I did not ask nor did I care, but people often accuse me of getting “VIP treatment” at Hyatt and that is simply not the case, as far as I can tell.

a bedroom with a window and a bed

With cloudy weather forecast for the next few days, I headed out right away after a shower.

Suddenly, air raid sirens began going off. I froze for a moment and look around. No one seemed to be all that concerned. Perhaps after a year of war, people become almost immune to such sounds.

As I would later hear in several first-hand accounts, in those first few days of the war, there was a very genuine fear that Moscow was rolling in and those sirens were certainly deeply feared then.

These days, there are still bombings that hit Kyiv and destruction that results, but Ukrainian air defenses are able to repel most incoming attacks and as such, these sirens do not necessarily mean a bomb or missile will hit the ground.

a man taking a selfie in front of a building

CONCLUSION

I’m quickly discovering that life is as “normal” as can be in Kyiv. I’ll have more to say about that in a future installment, but beyond the air raid sirens and men in uniform, you would not know that this country is in the midst of a fierce war if you limited your time to central Kyiv.

Even so, the country is at war and while Kyiv may not be dangerous, the air raid sirens are a constant reminder that a sovereign nation was invaded by another nation on false pretenses. The fact that my train had no men between the ages of 18 and 60 onboard (male citizens in this age range are barred form leaving the country) is a further testament to the fact that the nation is at war.

Next: the thriving coffee culture of Kyiv

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Previous Article My 18-Hour Train Ride From Warsaw To Kyiv
Next Article Amidst War, A Thriving Coffee Culture In Kyiv

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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26 Comments

  1. PolishKnight Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 2:01 pm

    You may want to share observations of normal life differences too. My father-in-Law in Odessa says that the electric trams are now operating normally except for the weekends for some reason. Senior citizens get to ride the tram for free so this is a big deal for him. There are occasional power outages you may experience to distribute power, but portable generators and other infrastructure arriving regularly. You may want to find out if you need some cash in case there’s a power outage and you want to hit a cafe and they can’t process credit cards (perhaps they can with battery backup for that purpose.)

  2. David Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 2:34 pm

    Plugs heard air raid sirens when he was there too. He just continued shuffling along.

  3. Ace Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 2:42 pm

    This might be the most “look at me, look at me” blog series ever. If your attempt at looking like Peter Arnett during the first Gulf War isn’t embarrassing, you’re not very self aware.

    • Greg G Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 2:44 pm

      Haters gonna hate.

      Pay no attention to this small-minded, envious man beyond pity.

    • Vivek Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 3:04 pm

      STFU! Why don’t you grow the balls and head to a war zone.

    • Maryland Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 3:50 pm

      @Ace. During WWII a project called “mass observation” began in England. Regular folks started diaries regarding their normal war lives, as in life goes on. It is recognized as one of the most important works of the war, capturing the period. The participants were surprised the views and stories were a valuable glimpse of history. Thus I do see a place for “the live blogging”.

  4. James Corn Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 3:11 pm

    To take selfies and report on the Hyatt Regency? The last think Ukrainian troops and people need is a self-aggrandizing blogger pretending to be something that he’s not.

    • JS Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 3:20 pm

      He’s not pretending to be anything you stupid cow.

    • Vivek Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 3:28 pm

      He is bringing foreign money to a country and people that badly need it. I think he is doing a service to them.

  5. Brad Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 3:17 pm

    Intriguing series. Random question. What is it like to be out in public with most men away serving in some capacity? Obviously you are a foreigner, but I have to imagine it is strange to experience. Like the opposite of when I worked in Saudi, only seeing men out and about.

    • Fantastico Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 3:48 pm

      In one word, shameful

      • Stuart in Georgia Reply
        February 23, 2023 at 4:51 pm

        Fantastico, grow up.

      • Vivian Reply
        February 23, 2023 at 4:51 pm

        We are all laughing at your jealousy.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 7:59 pm

      Brad, interesting question. While the train was all women (and very young or very old men), Kyiv was not like that – there were men all over (certainly within the draft age range) walking on the streets, working in shops/hotels, etc.

      Ukraine has not had to fully mobilize its male population (yet).

  6. Liz Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 4:47 pm

    I am finding your blog fascinating and look forward to coming ones.
    I am mystified at the haters who are apparently following you with bated breath and snorts of disappoval at your every move. I wonder why they keep coming back.
    Thank you for your insights and for your support of Ukraine and her people.

  7. Ivan Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 4:55 pm

    Matthew, we is very thankful you come and saw us in Kyiv (I was the one at the coffee shop you chatted with). We welcome foreign visitors to our beautiful land and need all the help we can in exposing the Russian menace. Please come soon back. Your blog is greatest.

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 7:46 pm

      It was nice to meet you Ivan!

  8. Gravelly Point Guy Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 7:56 pm

    Dude!! One thing is certainty true… You have balls the size of watermelons!!! But seriously, let me ask you a couple of questions?? What is the demeanor of the people on the streets?? What is their mood? What is their rictus like?? Do they just go about and through the motions? Do they laugh? Smile? Are they crying?? Does it feel ominous all the time?? Sorry to pepper you with so many questions, but I really really find all of the above intriguing?? Safe Returns!

  9. Alison Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 8:28 pm

    Matthew, I am appalled at the negative comments about your trip. I recall reading about your trip to Afghanistan. I believe your visit is appropriate and I applaud you for taking it and reporting on it.

  10. Curious Reply
    February 23, 2023 at 11:15 pm

    And why the heck are you there? Besides making selfies in the streets, I’m curious..

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      February 23, 2023 at 11:15 pm

      Keep reading.

  11. Stuart Reply
    February 24, 2023 at 12:01 am

    Kind of like how I respond to fire alarms at hotels at 3AM. I just go back to sleep and take my chances.

  12. DaninMCI Reply
    February 24, 2023 at 5:48 am

    So much interesting stuff in this post. An app for air raid sirens in a time of war. Go figure. The worst part of he ribbon the wrist scam is that it visibly tags you for other grifters and they can actually see you are a sucker. Regardless it is good to help people in general. I’m sure jobs and money are tight there.

  13. Ryan Reply
    February 24, 2023 at 7:35 am

    Very jealous. One of my favorite cities and a great hotel. There used to be a solid whiskey bar around the corner. In fact it’s called Whiskey Corner! Great selection. And an ideal spot to ignore the sirens.

    Keep up the awesome posts. One of your best trip reports ever.

  14. SOUSOUS Reply
    March 7, 2023 at 8:51 am

    Great Blog,

    doing the same trip (through the D68 train) in Kyiv in April.

    I got a question about the Metro; is it free or not ?

    As it can be used as shelters (deep undergound stations), i have heard , at the beginning of the war, the “entrance” was free.

    But now, in the first months of 2023 ?

    Regards

    Chris

    • Matthew Klint Reply
      March 7, 2023 at 11:55 am

      It is no longer free, but only costs about 14 cents (USD) to use.

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