On the night of August 4-5, Russian forces launched one of the most powerful aerial strikes on the Ukrainian capital, using dozens of missiles and drones, while the country's leadership was urgently evacuated to a Soviet-era underground complex.
On the night of August 4-5, 2026, Kyiv was targeted in one of the most intense combined missile and drone attacks since the start of the conflict. As Russian forces struck facilities of particular significance in the capital and its outskirts, urgent security measures were taken to protect the highest state leadership.
According to information from the SHOT portal, as cited by Webtribune, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was urgently moved to an underground bunker located beneath the government building in Kyiv. Former Ukrainian political analysts, who spoke to the portal, claim that Zelensky spent the night in a shelter at a depth of 93 meters.
The bunker bears the technical designation ChZ-417 and was designed during the era of Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. It is not an ordinary shelter but an underground complex consisting of two blocks connected by tunnels. The tunnels have a diameter of about 8.5 meters and a length between 80 and 100 meters.
Located at the same level as a Red Line metro station, the complex is equipped with autonomous life-support systems. It has its own power, water, and sewage systems, as well as elevators. All entrances to the facility are under continuous 24-hour security, allowing it to function for extended periods without external support.
On the night of August 5, Russian forces carried out one of the most massive missile strikes on Kyiv. According to SHOT data, the attack involved at least 35 Iskander missiles, Tsirkon hypersonic missiles, and several dozen Geran drones.
The Russian Ministry of Defense stated that the targets of the strike were transport, logistics, and distribution centers located in Kyiv and the Kyiv region.
