Ukraine Shortens Kyiv’s Curfew as Cabinet Adjusts to Changing Russian Air Attack Tactics

September 4 ------ Led by Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi, the Cabinet of Ministers has adopted a new set of measures intended to keep the economy and civilian life running amid Russia’s ongoing daily barrage.

In a statement published on Thursday, Sept. 3, Koretskyi recommended local authorities adjust Kyiv’s curfew from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m., shortening it by one hour from the current curfew, which begins at midnight. “The economy must keep working, taxes must keep flowing into the budget, and people must keep receiving their salaries,” Koretskyi said, adding that “the goal of all these changes is to protect people while also not allowing enemy attacks to paralyze” cities.

New air alert system tied to curfew changes

The new air alert system was initially announced by President Volodmyr Zelensky on Wednesday, who said that Koretskyi briefed him on measures being prepared in response to Russia’s changing attack tactics. “People must understand absolutely clearly what exactly they need to respond to and how,” Zelensky said.

The curfew adjustment comes alongside new air alert levels, yellow and red air. While the yellow will warn drone raids, red will signal ballistic missiles or large-scale attacks. Under the yellow level, businesses are expected to continue operating, while the red level will require mandatory movements into shelters.

Koretskyi said the government is giving businesses three months to guarantee shelter access for staff and visitors, warning that safety could no longer be neglected. “Access to shelters must be guaranteed for both visitors and staff,” he said, adding that “in the fifth year of the full-scale war, we cannot neglect people’s safety.” Authorities are urging communities to speed up the installation of additional mobile shelters to protect residents from falling debris.

Transit adjustments

Koretskyi recommended Kyiv to ensure the metro operates fully during the yellow alert “so people can get to work” and “hospitals.” Kyiv’s Syretsko-Pecherska metro line will operate in full during yellow alerts. Local authorities were instructed to increase the number of surface public transport vehicles to compensate for service interruptions on the Sviatoshynsko-Brovarska line during alerts.

Additional surface transport is expected to increase the metro route between Dnipro and Lisova stations. The government also plans to provide additional financial assistance to medical facilities in order to help maintain service during alerts. According to Koretskyi, authorities will also conduct weekly reviews of the protective measures to adjust the response as attack patterns evolve.

Source: kyivpost.com