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

The moments just before the all-clear siren are often the quietest and most intense. People listen intently, trying to discern the last muffled echoes of the barrage before the signal that allows them to ascend. This quiet anticipation is a microcosm of the entire war: a period of waiting, hoping, and planning for the brief respite before the next inevitable descent.