From Kyiv’s burning areas: Testimonies of Caritas staff under attack
The following is an account from several Caritas Ukraine staff describing what it’s like to be under attack.
5 June 2026 - Kyiv - On the night of May 24, Kyiv experienced one of the largest Russian attacks in recent months. 90 missiles and 600 drones targeted the capital. 87 people were injured, and two were killed. Homes, civilian infrastructure and cultural sites were damaged. Schools, museums and public spaces came under attack, another reminder that war continues to reach far beyond military targets and into the places where people live, learn and preserve their identity.
This attack also affected our colleagues and friends at Caritas Ukraine. Some of their homes damaged. Windows were blown out. Buildings nearby were hit.
Humanitarian work in Ukraine is not only about responding to the consequences of war. For many of our team members, war is also part of everyday life. Nights are spent in shelters, corridors or underground parking areas. People check on neighbours, calm children and pets, assess damage and deal with the immediate consequences of attacks - before returning to work and continuing to support communities across the country.
“I was at home alone with my two pets. It was very scary. At one point, it felt as if the strike had happened just a few metres away from me. A sharp flash of fire, the sound of the explosion, car alarms, the crack of glass falling, several more explosions, constant air defence work.”
Liuda, Communications Officer, Caritas Ukraine.
Liudmyla and her dog in the corridor during the attack. Photo credit: Caritas Ukraine
She ran into the corridor with her pets and stayed under the table.
“Then the fire alarm went off in the building, and there was only one thought in my head: what if there is a fire now? What if there are more explosions? I simply unlocked the door so that, if needed, someone could get inside, and all that time I was trying to calm my dog.”
Another colleague, Anhelina, spent the night in an underground parking shelter. She had prepared tea, downloaded a few series to her tablet and taken a sleeping bag with her. Practical preparations that have become familiar during repeated attacks on Kyiv.
“When this happens often, you start to understand the difference between a strike on your building and a strike nearby. It is still extremely loud. It is still very close. But you already know what to do.”
Anhelina, Personal assistant to the President of Caritas Ukraine
What stayed with her most was not only the attack itself, but the way people responded:
“No one panicked. No one screamed. Everyone understood that we could not go back up. We coordinated in our chats. We had prepared the shelter in advance, including internet access, so that in moments like this, people would not feel alone.”
Moments like these are also a reminder that humanitarian workers are civilians too. They carry fear, exhaustion and uncertainty while continuing to support communities affected by the same war.
Anhelina’s apartment following the missile attack on 24 May 2026. Photo credit: Caritas Ukraine
Care must include those who care for others. Supporting communities means supporting the people who stand beside them every day, including those who continue serving while living through the same realities themselves.
We ask our Caritas family, partners and friends to keep Ukraine, Kyiv and our team in your thoughts and prayers.
Please continue sharing the truth about the situation in Ukraine and stand with those who continue to support people and communities every day.
Original story by Iryna Golubenko, Senior Communications Manager at Caritas Ukraine