‘They started bombing us with drones’: Russian attacks unnerve Zaporizhzhia

Escalating Russian drone and missile attacks are making life increasingly dangerous in Zaporizhzhia, a city that has sheltered people displaced by the war. Residents describe drones overhead almost daily, while authorities are preparing for possible evacuations as attacks threaten civilian areas and infrastructure.

Volodymyr left his village of Preobrazhenka after being burned in a drone attack; he recalled that only eight people remained there. On November 2, nine glide bombs hit Komyshuvakha, killing at least 50 people, many of them waiting for aid. Zaporizhzhia has installed anti-drone netting, but recent strikes hit a shopping centre, the main bridge and a bus; officials say evacuation could be difficult for elderly residents and people without documents.