Kyiv residents are calling for more space in the subway during attacks: a new petition has been launched
8 June 13:25
Kyiv residents are asking that subway cars remain open at stations during heavy shelling, when the subway is used as a shelter. A petition to this effect has been posted on the Kyiv City Council website, according to "Komersant Ukrainian"
The authors of the petition believe that open train cars could make it more comfortable for people to stay in shelters and provide more space during heavy attacks.
The initiators emphasize that Kyiv metro stations remain one of the main shelters for thousands of people during nighttime shelling, but the platforms themselves are not designed to accommodate large numbers of residents for extended periods. Due to a lack of seating, people are forced to sit on the floor or bring folding chairs, mattresses, and other items.
As of the time of publication, the petition has already gathered over 554 signatures out of the required 6,000.
What the petition authors are proposing
The essence of the petition is to leave some trains at underground stations overnight with open access to the cars. According to the authors, this will allow for:
- create additional seating;
- increase the number of people who can take shelter during shelling;
- make staying in shelters more comfortable;
- use the train cars for evacuation if necessary in the event of an emergency at the station.
The petition also notes that storing trains underground could provide additional protection for the rolling stock against potential damage during attacks. This is one of the arguments in favor of the idea, which the authors are urging city authorities to consider for implementation.
Why this issue has become relevant again
The debate over conditions for people in the metro intensified following the Russian Federation’s massive attack on the night of June 2, when, according to city authorities, over 41,000 people were at Kyiv metro stations.
It was after this that people began complaining en masse on social media about the lack of space and the fact that large items were taking up too much room.
The Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) then reminded the public that 46 underground metro stations are operating as shelters, and that all lobbies are open during alerts.
At the same time, the issue of comfortably accommodating large numbers of people at the stations remains unresolved.
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Prior to this, there had already been debates in Kyiv about tents and mattresses in the metro
A new petition regarding subway cars emerged amid another high-profile initiative—a call to ban tents, inflatable beds, and large mattresses in the subway during alerts. In that petition, the author asked city authorities to even impose a fine of 5,000 hryvnias for setting up large sleeping gear in the subway.
The argument was that such items take up space that is needed by others, particularly the elderly, pregnant women, and parents with children.
Following the public outcry, an alternative petition (No. 14279) was even registered in Kyiv, in which residents were urged not to ban mattresses and tents entirely, but to regulate their use.
Last year, there was already a similar petition regarding subway cars
This is not the first attempt by Kyiv residents to promote the idea of using subway cars as additional shelters. Back in September 2025, petition No. 13734 was registered on the Kyiv City Council website, proposing to keep subway cars open at stations at night during emergencies.
At that time, the petition did not receive the required number of votes: 1,857 signatures were collected.
Now the issue has returned to public discussion—already in a different context, as following the massive attacks on the capital, the metro is increasingly being used not just as a temporary shelter for 20–30 minutes, but as a place to stay for many hours at night.
Does the petition have a chance of being considered?
For the Kyiv city government to officially consider the new petition, it must gather 6,000 signatures. Currently, the petition is still gathering signatures. If the required threshold is met, the city government will be required to provide an official response.
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