Civilians Take Cover as Russians Invade Kyiv

Thousands have fled, while those who remain scramble to stock up on essential supplies.

A man stands in front of the sign “I Love Ukraine” in Maidan Nezalezhnosti, the capital’s central square. Since the start of Ukraine's independence movement in 1990, the Maidan has been the site of political rallies including large-scale radical protest campaigns as well as the 2014 demonstrations. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

Queues at bank machines in Irpin, a town of 60,000 in the Kyiv region’s northwest. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

A message at a bank machine in Irpin states that it has run out of cash. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

On the horizon smoke comes from the Hostomel airport. About 10 kilometres from Kyiv, Hostomel is a key international cargo airfield and home to the Antonov aircraft company. Kyiv forces re-took control of the airfield after Russian troops tried to seize it. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

A long queue at a gas station starts in Irpin, just beyond Kyiv’s city boundary. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

A poster in downtown Kyiv calls on Ukrainians to join the Territorial Defence Unit, a military reserve component of the armed forces with auxiliary functions. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

Khreshchatyk, Kyiv’s main street, is deserted in the early evening hours. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

People with travel bags rushing to a shelter in the centre of Kyiv. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

man sits in a parking lot in front of a closed shopping centre in Irpin, a town just beyond Kyiv’s city boundaries. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

The deserted parking lot of a large shopping centre in Irpin. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

Lights in the gas station have been turned off, presumably to avoid drawing attention to crowded sites as the battle for control of the Hostomel airfield rages less than eight km away from Irpin. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

Vasily and Yesenia walk in the deserted centre of Kyiv. “We went out for a walk in the evening. We feel more scared at home." (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

Staff in a supermarket in Bucha send customers away as it now operates with reduced working hours. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

Valery Fedulkin and Galina Fedulkina fled from Donetsk to Irpin in 2016 as they wanted to live away from the conflict. They lie on the bed near their “go” bags. (February 24, 2022) © IWPR

As Russia continues to attack Ukraine, the sound of air raid sirens and explosions in the capital Kyiv send people running to find refuge in basements and metro stations.

Thousands are leaving the city, heading towards the western regions and beyond – to Poland, Moldova, Romania and Hungary – while those who stay are stocking up on supplies.

Queues at cash machines and petrol stations began in the early hours of February 24, shortly after the Russian invasion began.

Thousands of Ukrainians are said to have already left the country and the United Nations refugee agency said that as many as 100,000 are internally displaced after fleeing their homes in the wake of the Russian invasion.

It appealed to neighbouring countries to keep their borders open to people seeking a safe haven.

All photographs by Olga Kolonenko.

This publication was prepared under the "Amplify, Verify, Engage (AVE) Project" implemented with the financial support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway.

Project Focus Ukraine Voices, Amplify, Verify, Engage

Locations Ukraine

Topics Conflict, Life