Kyiv Metro Shelters Record 52,500 People During Massive Russian Missile and Drone Attack

More than 52,000 people took shelter in Kyiv's metro system during Russia's large-scale overnight attack on the Ukrainian capital, marking the highest number recorded since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Kyiv Metro press service said on July 2.

According to the operator, 52,500 people sought refuge at metro stations overnight, including nearly 4,500 children.

“This is the highest figure recorded in recent years,” the metro service said in a statement.

The metro operator reminded residents that, during air raid alerts, all 46 underground stations function as bomb shelters, with every station entrance remaining open to the public.

The record number of people seeking shelter in Kyiv's metro coincided with one of Russia's largest combined aerial assaults on the capital. During the night of July 2, Russian forces launched a massive barrage of ballistic missiles and hundreds of strike drones, causing widespread destruction across Kyiv.

Ukrainian authorities had confirmed 20 deaths and 90 injuries. Officials reported damage at 28 locations throughout the city, with residential buildings and civilian infrastructure suffering the greatest destruction.

The Darnytskyi district was among the hardest hit, where a direct strike tore through the first six floors of a nine-storey apartment building. Significant damage was also recorded in the Solomianskyi, Shevchenkivskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, and Holosiivskyi districts.

The same attack also sparked a fire at a hotel in central Kyiv after debris from intercepted drones fell onto the building.

According to the Ukrainian Air Force, Russia launched a total of 570 aerial weapons during the overnight bombardment, including 74 missiles and 496 drones of various types, with Kyiv serving as the primary target.

Ukraine's air defense forces reported intercepting or suppressing through electronic warfare 476 of the 496 drones, achieving an interception rate of nearly 96%.

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