Kyiv's daily life unravels under relentless drone attacks

Kyiv residents are enduring near-constant drone attacks that are severely disrupting daily life, with new jet-propelled drones proving more destructive and harder to intercept, as a fifth winter of war approaches. Commuting and shopping are increasingly impacted by round-the-clock air raid alerts, which halt metro services, close supermarkets, and force children into underground shelters during school hours. Russia fired over 2,800 jet-powered drones in August, with interception rates around 60% compared to over 90% for slower models. The escalating air war comes as frontline fighting yields little territorial gain, with both sides targeting energy and logistics facilities. Polling shows attitudes toward Russia hardening, with 69% opposing ceding unoccupied Donbas territory, while residents like Vitaliia Poliakova, injured in a drone strike, face a brutal winter ahead.