The Big Shelter: How Kyiv’s Metro Stations Became Essential Bunkers for Millions

Crucially, the metro's role is not just passive sheltering; it is active resistance. By keeping the population safe, the system denies the aggressor the full desired impact of terror and panic. The people’s ability to retreat, survive the assault, and then emerge to rebuild and continue their lives is a profound act of defiance and a demonstration of national fortitude that cannot be broken by missiles and drones.