Voice of Ukraine

From Maia Mikhaluk in Kyiv (434th day): Briana and I were out for an evening walk when the air raid started. The siren is more unpleasant outside as it is louder, but I thought we would just keep walking. When I heard the first explosion, I turned toward home. Over the past 14+ months we learned to recognize the types of explosions. I knew it was a sound of anti-missile defense. It’s not as scary as the sound of a missile hitting the building, but you also know if the anti-missile defense is working there is something dangerous up there in the sky. As we were making our way home, the explosions continued and became more frequent. Outside they are much more audible, not muffled by the walls and windows of the building. Playgrounds quickly emptied, and people who were walking their dogs were now often holding dogs in their arms. Dogs were getting frantic. Nobody was running but walking faster and all the faces were turned up to the sky, searching for signs of danger. We did get home safely. Briana was disappointed that I skipped our time on a swing.

The debris of some drones shot by air defense fell in a couple of regions of Kyiv, causing some damage, though much less than if the drones hit the targets.

Being outside with a baby during an air attack is scarier than being at home, though I realize the danger is similar.