KYIV — There’s no single response to war.
In downtown Kyiv on Thursday morning — as Russian forces attacked Ukraine from the north, east and south — the city was practically empty. Almost no pedestrians walking, only a few cars driving.
Explosions were heard near the city’s airport early in the morning, then relative quiet. Four hours later, the sounds of more explosions drifted through the city center.
That, of course, didn’t mean life had halted.
Piles of cars sat standstill on roads leading to emptier pastures — and in massive lines at suburban gas stations. Yet simultaneously, scores of people headed the opposite way, taking the subway from the city’s outskirts into the center, mostly for work. Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko announced public transport was now free of charge.
Ukrainian officials urged residents to stay in Kyiv, at least for the moment.
“I wouldn’t recommend you go right now,” wrote an adviser to Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko. “You will simply spend many hours standing in traffic jams and being nervous.”
At nearly every ATM, queues were forming of 10, 20 people, all hoping to withdraw as much cash as possible before the machines ran out. Others rushed to gas stations, apparently with the aim of leaving the city.
Klitschko stressed that people should prepare an evacuation plan.
“Keep an ‘alarm suitcase’ ready — documents, a minimum of things required — to quickly, if necessary, get to a shelter,” Klitschko said. “City authorities [remain] in the capital. We continue to ensure the functioning of the city.”
Despite Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky declaring martial law early Thursday, police were practically invisible on the streets and no military patrols were spotted walking downtown. At the same time, the police officers guarding the various embassies were wearing bulletproof vests, and they carried helmets.
In one city district, local residents found rocket fragments, according to social media. A Reuters photo showed officials inspecting the incident.
While some global hotel brands in downtown Kyiv kept operating as usual, others were bolstering security.
A security guard at the Hilton hotel, who gave his name as Dmitry, said the hotel is helping guests contact their embassies or leave the city.
“We’ve tightened security around the hotel and do not let anyone in except guests,” he said.