‘Scare Raids’

While we are in Ukraine, in nearly all cities at least one daily air raid siren blares,  very often more, though this definitely depends on the city and what part of the terror cycle Russia are in.  Explosions sometimes follow.  Whether it is your turn this time to end up under a shahed drone, gliding bomb or missile must be a common thought.  Some seek shelter immediately or eventually, but many don’t. 

I want to initially speak of my own experiences/emotions under an air alert before trying to capture in some small way the wide variety of reactions and attitudes to these amongst Ukrainians I talked to.

We downloaded both of the main Air Raid Alert apps in Ukraine.  You can set them up for different scenarios and just for your immediate area.  Air raid, missiles, shelling (for some border regions), guided bombs (CABs), drones, all clear, are the different alerts available.  At first this seemed like a good idea, and it was, but we soon realised, surprisingly, that it seemed we were in the minority.

My first night in Ukraine which was in the far western city of Lviv, known as the safest and quietest city in Ukraine when it comes to russian attacks, and it saw its biggest attack since the full scale invasion started in 2022.  We ended up in the basement of our section of the high rise apartment complex with probably about 30 Ukrainians.  I’m unsure of the percentage of the people from this complex that sought safer shelter, but I’m guessing about one third, possibly as high as two thirds.  The ground literally shook from a nearby missile strike on an electrical substation, more people arrived after this.  Five hours it went on for before we got the all clear.  More civilian deaths were recorded just in Lviv this night, a whole family of four included.

Our air raid app alerted us but was of little use in the basement as there was no signal.  People were sneaking upstairs for reception to try to find out information and receive the all clear.

We soon started working out the air raid alert system which had become more refined since Lara was here a few months ago.  It seemed that if enemy planes were in the air the whole country received an “air alert”.  This is because they may have missiles.  Missiles, especially the hypersonic type, travel quickly and until fired they cannot know where they may be headed.  Often this ended up just a “training run” from the enemy planes and an “ all clear, stay safe” alert would usually follow within the half hour or so.  I think naval vessels carrying missiles can also trigger this alert.

“Missile alert” was sent out once incoming missiles were confirmed.  My understanding is that as quickly as Ukraine can calculate that your area is not at risk from these missiles you will receive an “all clear”.  I was told in the city of Kharkiv that explosions from missiles have beaten the air raid alert because they are so close to the border.  Missiles do not leave anyone, anywhere, much time.

“Guided bombs” alert was my most disliked for some reason.  Probably because they pack such great explosive power.  These were a threat more to the border regions but while we were in Dnipro ruzzia launched its first newly developed jet powered versions with significantly increased range.  So for the first time, while we were there, Dnipro was targeted by these.  We actually received a 4 minute till impact message which was kind of a surreal countdown.  We were outside walking at the time and sought shelter in one of the regularly placed small above ground concrete shelters.  We were not the only people inside, all people with children seemed to heed the threat, but many continued life.  Thankfully air defence intercepted them enroute, we heard one of the booms.  As I write this CABs are on the way to Dnipro again, but we’re now in Kyiv.

Shahed type drones are another thing altogether.  Because they travel slower across the country you generally get plenty of warning.  Their path can change though.  Drones can hang around and prolong the air raid period significantly.  Drone alerts were the ones that I began to not seek shelter for unless it was convenient or I could hear the drones or explosions.

As we travelled around the country we sought as safe, as possible, accomodation.  Underground is ideal, and yes, this is often an option.  Shops and businesses are going underground if possible in many Ukrainian cities for obvious reasons.  Higher floor apartments are in less demand amongst Ukrainians as these are more vulnerable in attack but also more stairs when power is lost.  By the end of our trip our experiences were such that we would not stay in the upper levels of a high rise apartment unless absolutely necessary.  Few Ukrainians have this luxury though.

For sure though a high percentage of people each weighs up the incoming risk and so must decide on an action, or not.  Where do I go?  To the bath, to the hallway, to the basement, to a bomb shelter, or just keep trying to sleep, or flick Putin the bird from wherever I am?  Do I rush my kids out of the playground, do I rush out of the store, do I get off the street, do I follow safety advice and stop driving my car, should I get off this train as they’ve been targeted more recently?   Shrapnel kills, and Russia often load their weapons with wicked shrapnel.  They say, as a minimum, to be behind at least two walls to protect yourself.  Playgrounds have been hit, many children have been killed while playing.  Many hospitals and clinics, supermarkets, apartment blocks, hardwares, markets, universities, the list goes on, basically you can never be 100% sure you’re safe unless you are underground or in a very solid shelter. 

Making decisions like these, often multiple times a day, takes its toll.  I heard it said, “I refuse to let Putin chase me from my house”.  It is hard to argue with this sentiment, but oh what a price you may pay for not seeking safety.  But oh what a price your life pays for reducing the risk of every threat, such little sleep, so much disruption to life.  Forms of trauma wait whichever way you turn.

A well educated young Ukrainian woman talked of many people having developed a “fatalist” mentality.  No doubt this is a broad spectrum.  But she did certainly not think it was positive.  Would we become “fatalists” after 4 years of this?  I think it depends.  Children and family add weight, people’s circumstances and personalities vary.  People’s beliefs vary.  But of course,  most of us will take greater risks if needful, but some people are very risk averse.  What is constant for all people in Ukraine is the accumulating trauma from these events.

Unsurprisingly I guess, I’ve seen a wide spectrum of human emotions and strategies around dealing with air raid sirens. 

What struck me most is how little everyday life seemed to change as the air raid siren first sounds.  No doubt this is different for different cities.  People, especially with children, reacted most.  Watching tiny little kindergarten kids be ushered off the playground quickly was heart wrenching.  Generally though most people didn’t flinch.  Like me they were likely processing something in their heads but certainly rarely showed it.  I’m sure though that many had indeed become “fatalist” and entering any consideration of the sirens implications just wasn’t going to happen, it just couldn’t anymore, for various reasons most likely.

I understand now why people may choose to not have the air raid apps on their phones.  I heard them called “scare raid” alerts as people felt that’s what they did more of, scare people.  But surely most had some source of information at their disposal, as to have no idea what’s going on, what’s coming, seems unlikely.

It was a real spectrum of people, from the very obviously damaged to the downright almost aggressively defiant, to the seemingly totally ignorant and the just plain tired.  All, though, I’m sure, bore scars from this, how could you not.  Four years is too long to face constant regular threats to your life, no matter how small.  The toll this alone will take on Ukraine is high, but coupled with the trauma from the frontline, it is immense. 

Ukraine deserves and needs our help to limit the damage this invasion is inflicting on them.   

My faith that God is ultimately in control of all does not mean that I would not seek safety if appropriate.  Though I met many of faith who would disagree with me.  Even though I’m ready to die, I have no plan to risk my corrupted free will to tempt God into hastening this event.  If needful though I would go where led and I would try to not worry and trust God for whatever may come. 

For me the first thought is “What is the cause of the air raid siren?”.  This is important for me as missiles are different to gliding bombs, are different to shahed drones.  Our location in the country changed my approach.  A missile alert while nearer the border of Russia saw me become a bit of a fatalist as the time before impact would likely see me not find a shelter in time anyway.  Gliding bombs were more frightening to me for some reason and I usually acted.  Drones, though still frightening, almost became annoying as they could hang around for lengthy periods.