Metro stations turn into bunkers, fleeing population leaves Kiev chaotic traffic

In the Ukrainian capital Kiev, subway stations have turned into makeshift bunkers. Witnesses in the city told the CNN that the stations are crowded with people carrying supplies and organized into groups. The stations are full – but not with trains themselves, which were still running smoothly.

Photos of people on the run began to emerge on Thursday morning (24) and also of heavy traffic, with long lines of cars leaving Kiev.

“As we hear these sirens [de ataque aéreo]you can imagine the panic that the people of this town are being jolted out of their beds with these thunderous explosions taking place all around us,” said Matthew Chance of CNNin Kiev, today.

“All this traffic is going in one direction… driving as fast as possible west towards the safest areas, if you will, of the country, maybe to Poland, which is a three or four or five hour drive from here. . You can see that it’s almost a constant flow of traffic from the residents of this country moving west, in the opposite direction from Russia.”

Understand the attack

After weeks of tension, Russia attacked Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday morning. A military operation in the breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine, explosions and sirens were heard in several cities across the country.

Ukrainian authorities reported that dozens of people died and six Russian planes were reportedly destroyed. On Thursday morning, long lines formed on Kiev’s main avenues as residents tried to leave the area. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the population to defend the country and said that “citizens can use weapons to defend territory”.

In his speech before the attack, Putin justified the action by saying that Russia could not “tolerate threats from Ukraine”. Putin urged Ukrainian soldiers to “put down your weapons and go home”. The Russian leader further stated that he will not accept any kind of foreign interference.