140 Deaths: Kyiv's 2026 Toll Already Beats 2025

Kyiv has recorded 140 deaths in the first eight months of 2026. This figure already exceeds the total of 172 recorded for the entirety of 2025, according to the city's military administration. If the current rate continues, 2026 will stand as the deadliest year for the capital since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022.

The intensification of strikes has forced a major shift in daily routines for the city's four million residents. Shelters are no longer sufficient to house everyone during attacks. Consequently, many residents have turned subway stations into temporary living spaces. Around ten people per night lay out mattresses and erect small tents on the platforms. Children and pets often sleep beside adults or strangers along the cold walls.

Halyna, a resident of the Lukyanivka district, takes her five-year-old son, Roman, to the nearest station every evening. She often makes the trip without waiting for a siren. "We're alive," Halyna said, holding her son. "We've been lucky once again." Her district has been a repeated target for Russian forces over the past four years and eight months.

Recent strikes have also hit areas associated with daily life. In September, a Russian drone struck an apartment building in the central Pechersk district. The explosion killed Daniel Umanskyj, a 14-year-old student who was doing homework in his room. Vlad, a neighbor, was in the hallway with his daughter at the time. "We were late that day, and this saved our lives," Vlad said. "These sick monsters don't care who they kill." Flowers now mark the damaged building in Daniel's memory.

Educational institutions have faced direct hits as well. A drone struck a school building in southwestern Kyiv in early October. Principal Valentyna Chorna noted that all pupils and teachers were already in shelters when the impact occurred. The school continues in-person instruction because its shelter can hold more than 500 students. However, attendance depends on shelter availability and the duration of air raid sirens.

Infrastructure damage has compounded the strain on residents. Strikes on warehouses have led to supermarket shortages not seen since the early months of the war. Emergency power outages returned at the end of September, and a Russian attack temporarily paralyzed the subway system. With energy infrastructure under fire, the city faces uncertainty regarding heat, electricity, and water supply this winter.

Despite these challenges, residents report a high willingness to endure the conflict. A report from the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology found that 72% of residents said in September they were ready to continue the war as long as necessary. Authorities have adjusted protocols to maintain normalcy, shortening the curfew to 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. and allowing some facilities to operate during yellow alerts. During red alerts, which indicate ballistic or cruise missiles, residents must shelter immediately.