Kyiv Mothers Give Birth Amid Russian Drone Attacks

Women in Kyiv are giving birth under the constant threat of Russian drone attacks, highlighting how Ukraine’s escalating air war is reshaping everyday life and deepening the country’s demographic crisis.

Alyona Bohatyrenko, 32, delivered her daughter at Kyiv City Maternity Hospital No. 2 while an air raid alert warned of approaching Russian jet-powered drones. Doctors decided to proceed with the delivery on the ward despite the threat overhead.

“I gave birth during an air alert!” Bohatyrenko said while holding her newborn daughter. She acknowledged that such circumstances were far from normal but said Ukrainians had gradually adapted to living with them.

Yuliia Ishchuk, 26, also gave birth at the hospital last Wednesday. Her husband, serviceman Vitalii Ishchuk, said her waters broke around 3 a.m. while Kyiv was under attack. The couple called an ambulance and safely reached the hospital.

Russia has intensified its bombing campaign since August 27, deploying waves of faster jet-powered drones alongside other weapons. Air attacks in Kyiv and the surrounding region have increasingly occurred throughout the day rather than primarily at night, disrupting millions of residents.

Ukraine expects conditions to become more difficult during winter as Russia continues targeting energy infrastructure supplying electricity, heating and water. Moscow says its strikes serve military objectives, while Kyiv accuses Russia of attempting to weaken civilian morale and pressure Ukraine into territorial concessions.

The growing danger is prompting families with newborn children to reconsider where they live. Ishchuk said his family may seek housing with better shelter, while Bohatyrenko said she would not leave Ukraine but could temporarily move away from Kyiv during winter.

The war is also worsening Ukraine’s demographic challenges. Birth rates were already declining before Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, and insecurity, economic pressures and military service have further discouraged couples from having children.

Yuliia Kukhar, 29, who is expecting her third child, said only a few women were staying on her maternity ward.

“No one wants to give birth,” she said.

Kukhar added that the war had even influenced her thoughts about having a son because of the possibility that men could eventually face military service.