A neighbourhood around Lukianivska square in Kyiv has become a visible example of the damage caused by the continuing air war between Russia and Ukraine, with residents and local businesses attempting to continue daily routines among damaged buildings and reminders of repeated attacks.

The area, once known for busy streets, restaurants and commercial activity, has seen many buildings damaged by strikes. A nearby station and restaurant remain among the active parts of the neighbourhood, while a small market selling flowers and vegetables continues operating beneath damaged structures.

For some residents, the repeated attacks have added to fears already carried from other parts of Ukraine. Anastasiia Prymak, a 23-year-old product manager, moved to Kyiv from Nikopol two years ago after experiencing frequent bombardment there. She said recent attacks on Kyiv had brought back the same sense of insecurity.

Prymak described a drone strike on a nearby apartment building on 28 April. She said she initially thought she heard aircraft but realised that was unlikely because of the war. Looking outside, she saw an explosion on the roof of a building.She said the attacks had affected her mental health and that she had been diagnosed with severe anxiety disorder.

She described experiencing persistent anxiety and panic attacks.Prymak showed images from her apartment window showing a damaged building with flames coming from windows after a strike. She said that during one major attack her boyfriend took her to a shelter, where she prayed despite not being religious.

Following further strikes, she said she had considered leaving Kyiv for Lviv in western Ukraine. She described the damage around her neighbourhood as increasingly similar to scenes from destroyed areas of Ukraine and said she feared being seriously injured in an attack.The destruction in the area comes amid a broader escalation in long-range strikes between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian officials have warned that Russia is increasing attacks on urban areas, while Russian officials have indicated plans for more extensive strikes.The intensifying missile threat has raised concerns about Ukraine’s air defence capabilities.

Ukrainian officials have sought additional missile interceptors, including systems such as Patriot air defence units, as the country continues attempts to protect major cities from aerial attacks.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called for increased support from European partners, including stronger air defence systems and long-range capabilities.

During meetings with leaders in London, he highlighted what he described as an urgent need to strengthen Ukraine’s ability to respond to missile and drone attacks.Despite the risks, some local businesses have returned.

Faina Polishchuk, who operates a flower stall near Lukianivska square, said many traders had come back, although customer numbers had declined.She said the latest major strike left many stallholders frightened and unwilling to return immediately. However, she added that selling flowers was her source of income and that she needed to continue working.Polishchuk said she watched the strike from her apartment window and felt the building shake.

She later went to a shelter, where another resident showed her images of the damage on a phone and told her that buildings were burning.She said she intended to remain in Kyiv despite the danger, though she acknowledged that worsening conditions could force her to leave for Vinnytsia, her original home city.

The neighbourhood’s damaged buildings and disrupted businesses reflect the wider challenge facing civilians in Kyiv as the war enters another phase of intensified aerial attacks. Residents continue adapting to air raid alarms, shelter routines and the uncertainty of whether another strike may follow.

The Swedish Armed Forces said the incidents occurred on Friday in the southern and northern areas of the Baltic Sea. Swedish airspace was not violated during either encounter, it said.

NATO fighter jets were launched “to maintain security in the shared airspace,” the Swedish military said in a statement.

“The Russian actions are serious and constitute a recurring pattern of behavior that threatens both our territorial integrity and security,” Vice Admiral Ewa Skoog Haslum, Sweden’s chief of joint operations, said.
The interceptions involved Sweden’s JAS 39 Gripen aircraft, which are used for national air defence and NATO-related missions.

Sweden joined NATO in March 2024, ending decades of military non-alignment following heightened security concerns in Europe.

Tensions in the Baltic Sea region have increased since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, with NATO members strengthening surveillance and air patrol operations in the area.

Zelenskiy said the framework deal, signed ahead of talks with Mohammed bin Salman, establishes a basis for future contracts, joint technological development and investment between the two countries.

“We are ready to share our expertise and systems with Saudi Arabia and to work together to strengthen the protection of lives,” Zelenskiy said on Telegram, adding that Saudi capabilities were also of interest to Ukraine.

The visit comes as Kyiv reassesses its external support network in the fifth year of its war with Russia. A report by the Washington Post said the United States is weighing redirecting weapons supplies intended for Ukraine to the Middle East, where tensions linked to a conflict with Iran are straining American stockpiles.

Zelenskiy’s outreach to Gulf partners signals an effort to diversify defence cooperation and secure alternative funding and technology flows as geopolitical priorities shift.

Earlier this month, Ukraine sent more than 220 military and security experts to several Middle Eastern countries to advise on countering drone attacks targeting critical infrastructure.

According to video released by Zelenskiy’s office, the delegation included air defence specialists and officials from Ukraine’s SBU security service.

The group conducted workshops for Saudi officials, reported to the Saudi General Staff and is preparing to share operational experience in air defence.

Zelenskiy said Ukraine expects financial compensation and access to technology in exchange for providing such assistance.Drones have become a central feature of the battlefield in Ukraine’s war with Russia, prompting Kyiv to accelerate domestic production and innovation to offset Moscow’s manpower advantage.

Zelenskiy told Reuters this week that, with sufficient financing, Ukraine could produce up to 2,000 drone interceptors per day, underscoring the scale of its defence manufacturing ambitions.

The agreement with Saudi Arabia reflects a convergence of interests as Middle Eastern states seek to strengthen air defence capabilities against drone threats, while Ukraine looks to leverage its battlefield experience for strategic and economic gains.