Air raid alerts, explained for people who've never heard one

This is what scares visitors the most, even before they arrive. An air raid alert means there's a possible air, missile, or drone threat. You'll hear sirens all over the city, that sound means “danger”. Most locals use free apps Tryvoha! or Kyiv Digital, which send push notifications as soon as an alert goes off. It's really worth downloading one before you arrive, when the first alarm sounds, it's the most helpful thing you can do to avoid being caught off guard.

What locals do varies from person to person. The official advice is to go to a shelter (subway stations, underground parkings, and basements) and take all your essentials with you. If you're in an area without a nearby shelter, the basic rule is the “two-walls rule” — put two solid exterior or load-bearing walls between you and the street, and stay away from windows.

I'm keeping the fuller version with a shelter map, more on safety rules, and things you should pay attention to when you hear an air alarm in the comments.

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