This Kiev facade was badly damaged by Russian rocket fire on Saturday.Image: keystone
Suddenly war is very, very close. During the heavy air raids on Kiev over Pentecost, a rocket landed right next to the house of our Kiev correspondent. Here is his experience report.
May 26, 2026, 6:40 p.mMay 26, 2026, 6:40 p.m
Denis Trubetskoy, Kyiv / ch media
I experienced a lot in Kyiv after the major Russian attack in February 2022. Just a few months ago, the worst winter in the recent history of the Ukrainian capital ended. Unfortunately, I’m also very familiar with the feeling of the walls in my own apartment shaking because a Russian rocket hits nearby.
Despite a lot of experience, you can’t get used to it, but it’s now part of everyday life in the city of three million people. But when Russia carried out its heaviest attack to date on Kiev on Sunday night, using virtually its entire arsenal of long-range weapons of various types, it hit me personally for the first time.
That didn’t come as a surprise. It had already become clear in advance that Moscow was planning a massive strike. When I heard a Russian drone with its typical moped-like sound around 11 p.m. in my apartment in Kiev’s Podil district, the city’s historic center, I already knew: It was going to be a long and difficult night. However, I had no idea how heavy it would be.
In everyday wartime, it is these moments when you have to quickly decide whether to go to the air raid shelter – in my case that is the nearest subway station a few minutes’ walk away – or stay in the apartment, as far away as possible from the windows and protected by several walls.
The horror in his own apartment: A Kiev resident tries to save his burning refrigerator.Image: keystone
In practice, such a decision is not that easy. In this case, it made sense to stay in your own apartment corridor.
What I experienced from there in the next few hours was new even to me. Around one o’clock I heard about eight or nine loud explosions one after the other, which could clearly be attributed to ballistic missiles. I have never heard so many rockets of this type explode in such a short time.
In order to reach Kiev with these weapons even faster than usual, the launch pads for the Iskander missiles were moved even closer to the Ukrainian border. The explosions were clearly noticeable, but fortunately still far away.
At four in the morning it hits me too
However, at four o’clock the time had come. I can’t remember exactly the moment when Russian rockets hit directly across the street, severely damaging the recently renovated Chernobyl Museum. That was a shocking moment even for me.
The heavily damaged Chernobyl Museum across the street the day after the attack.Image: keystone
Our residential building received the majority of the blast wave on this side of the street. The result: Almost all windows were destroyed and numerous balconies were damaged. My main room was littered with broken glass. The stairs looked even worse.
At first, in a situation like this, you’re just happy that you weren’t injured. Then the feeling of helplessness sets in. There’s nothing you can do except stay in the hallway and watch the news on your cell phone. And it can take hours until the air alarm is over.
Image of the apocalypse: residents view the rubble field. The attacks over Pentecost left at least two dead and more than 80 injured in Kiev.Image: keystone
When you look at your own damage in detail and fight your way down the stairs, the feeling of an apocalypse prevails. The historic Spaska Street, which otherwise has a clear Berlin flair, is a complete shambles.
Neighborly help and enormous solidarity
The longer such a day lasts, the more changeable the feelings are. What is remarkable is how the neighbors cheer each other up in such cases, help each other and make coffee to calm them down. It is also highly remarkable how quickly an entire support infrastructure is created around an impact site, including tents with warm food and tea. This results in extremely inspiring stories.
Aid organizations have already set up food tents in the affected neighborhood.Image: Denis Trubetskoy
One of these works quickly viralalso beyond Ukraine. It wasn’t until Saturday that the little Café Hogo opened right around the corner from me – with a DJ, live music and nice decorations. Yevhen, the likeable young owner, spent a significant portion of his savings on his “Hogo”.
I didn’t know him personally, but I saw him every day on the street or in the small shop next door. Although the café was badly damaged, he served free coffee on Sunday morning. In the evening there was already a large queue in front of his restaurant to support the young entrepreneur with their own orders.
The video about it:
Video: watson/hanna dedial
Putin will not be able to break the Ukrainian population
Towards the evening I was able to board up the windows at my house with plywood panels. On Monday, work continued all day on Spaska Street to clean it up. The mood was still depressed, but already slightly hopeful.
Unfortunately, Russian airstrikes on the capital are expected to continue until the final day of this war. The Russian Foreign Ministry has already announced the start of “systematic strikes” against Kiev – as if my city had not been systematically shelled for almost four and a half years.
The window, which was blown apart by the air pressure, is now covered by a sheet of plywood.Image: Denis Trubetskoy
But neither after last winter nor after this Black Sunday, on which, for the first time, no district of Kiev was left without significant damage – Vladimir Putin will hardly be able to break the resilience of Ukrainian society with his endless bombardment from the air. (aargauerzeitung.ch)