Kyiv Endures 12-Hour Drone Barrage as Yellow Alert Stays in Place

Kyiv suffered a massive overnight drone attack that began at 23:00 the previous evening and continued for 12 hours, with dozens of Shahed-type drones striking the capital at speeds of 300–500 km/h. Despite the intensity, authorities maintained a yellow air raid alert throughout the day and did not declare a red alert even once.

The assault included more than 10 direct hits in the city center during the morning hours alone, plus five to six strikes overnight. At least two people were killed and 25 injured, 17 of whom required hospitalization.

The decision to keep the alert at yellow has drawn sharp criticism. The capital recently introduced a differentiated warning system that separates drone threats (yellow) from mass drone or missile threats (red), but the criteria for escalation remain unclear. Residents noted that streets stayed busy, the central railway station was crowded, and shopping centers remained open, while promised modular shelters on city streets were absent, leaving hundreds of thousands without adequate protection.

Critics argue the government’s response represents a failure of basic civil defense, demanding immediate installation of street-level shelters and a revision of alert protocols to prioritize civilian safety.