Kyiv Residents Ask for Metro Service to Continue During Air Raid Alerts — Petition
In Kyiv, there is a proposal to allow subway trains to operate during air raid alerts on certain sections of the line in order to ease the burden on surface transportation and reduce travel time for thousands of passengers.
The authors of the initiative note that halting metro service during every air raid alert creates significant difficulties for Kyiv residents, especially those living on the capital’s left bank. According to them, surface transportation cannot fully replace the metro.
As a result, air raid alerts lead to overcrowded public transportation, traffic jams, hours-long waits, and a significant increase in travel time.
For many Kyiv residents, the metro is the primary way to get to work, school, or the hospital on time—or to return home.
The authors of the appeal emphasize that this is not about ignoring missile and other airborne threats.
“The goal is to find a balanced solution that will allow people to independently assess risks and choose their mode of transportation, while ensuring the necessary safety measures are in place on the part of the metro system,” the initiators note.
They also propose that passengers be properly informed about the risks involved so that people can make their own decisions about using the metro during an air raid alert.
The initiators of the appeal are asking the Kyiv city government to consider the possibility of maintaining train service during air raid alerts on the following routes:
- “Lisova” — “Arsenalska” and in the opposite direction;
- “Vydubychi” — “Slavutych” and in the opposite direction.
According to the authors of the initiative, this approach would allow for the partial maintenance of transit service during air raid alerts while limiting it to only certain sections.
The petition also cites Article 13 of the Civil Code of Ukraine, according to which a person exercises their civil rights at their own discretion.
On this basis, the initiators propose giving passengers the opportunity to decide for themselves whether to use the metro during an air raid alert, while being aware of the associated risks.
The authors emphasize that for many residents of the capital, this issue has long been about more than just convenience.
“For many Kyiv residents, this issue has long ceased to be merely a matter of convenience. It is a chance to get to work, school, or the hospital on time; to pick up a child; to help loved ones; and simply to return home on time,” the petition states.
The initiators are calling on the Kyiv city authorities to consider changing the metro’s operating procedures during air raid alerts and to find a solution that takes into account both the needs of passengers and safety requirements.
The corresponding petition has been registered on the Kyiv City State Administration’s website.
Today, August 27, trains on the Red Line are running from “Akademmistechko” to “Polytechnic Institute” toward the city center and from “Arsenalna” to “Akademmistechko” toward the city outskirts.
On Thursday, August 27, thousands of people gathered at Kyiv Metro stations during another air raid alert. In particular, a significant crowd of passengers has gathered at the “Lisova” station.
