Reporter’s Notebook: Back to Kyiv as Russia targets city with drones and missile strikes

KYIV, Ukraine – The noise came early. I heard one blast from my hotel room just after 8 in the morning Monday. My team heard a few more. The Russians were attacking Kyiv again. Welcome back to Ukraine.

This is, in fact, my fourth trip to the country this year. From guessing whether the Russians were going to invade. To the shock of it happening. The bravado of the country’s initial fight-back. The horrors. The deadly grind. And more. It has been quite a year.

Now we’re more than eight months into this war, the worst Europe has seen in nearly 80 years. And it’s as edgy as ever. As different. And as familiar.

It’s always good to come back and see your super local staff. Translators, drivers and security. You know you’ve been covering something a long time when the overnight hotel room service staff knows you by name. And the air raid sirens never get old. And seem to never stop.

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Kyiv, one of the prettiest cities in Europe, looked elegant. A bit worn-down. Still determined.  

The Russian strikes on this day landed north of the center of the city. My folks pinpointed the location expertly. They’re used to it.

Government restrictions keep you from showing the exact target so we go to a nearby park. A building with shattered windows was next door. And I was once again with the courageous people of Ukraine.  

One elderly woman said she was in her kitchen and looked out the window as one missile went over her house. And she heard more. As if she was a military spotter.

Another told us her children called her to make sure she was safe. A regular routine here.

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A third simply said it was “bad” and she was “scared.” We gave her a hug. And remembered so many salt-of-the-earth folks we’d met in so many horrible places this year. One had reminded me of my late mother. 

Next stop was to get the assessment of the situation from Kyiv’s mayor, ex-boxing champion Vitali Klitschko. He’s usually a friendly fellow and happy to chat. On this day he was grim. Small talk went right by him. 

He told me on this day 80% of the city was without water, 350,000 residents without power. Faltering on the battlefield, Russia is now targeting the civilian infrastructure. He feared for a long cold winter.  

We heard the same when we talked via Zoom to the head of the biggest utility company here. He was even scarier. He said with all things so interconnected now, Ukraine could be facing a massive humanitarian crisis. 

On the streets of Kyiv at night, the power cuts and energy conservation make them even darker than usual.  Some venture out to go to a late night food store. Others race the 10 p.m. curfew to down last drinks.

As the fighting goes on… in the eastern part of the country, where we have been tracking the Russian-fueled skirmishes of set-up separatists for eight years now.

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And crucially now in the south, where Ukraine is aiming to extend its latest battlefield gains, trying to win back the one regional capital Russia captured during this year of bloodshed, Kherson. 

Due to its proximity to the fighting goal, the mayor of neighboring Mykolaiv tells us on another call that his town has the grim distinction of being one of the most shot-up towns in the country.  

And then to our live shots for Fox. The balcony overlooking the beautiful golden-domed St. Michael has been our perch all this year. With everything going on in the States, especially now with domestic politics at a fever pitch, interest remains. After all these months, respect is shown for the story. Because it remains important. And bad. And could get worse. 

Along with the people of Ukraine, Fox has taken its hits this year too. Always remembered, especially when one returns here. Friend and correspondent Benjamin Hall, badly injured in a Russian missile blast, about 15 miles from where I write this, now making a strong comeback. The talented young local producer Sasha Kuvshynova. Who lost her life in the attack. And dear buddy cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski. Also gone.  

We cover this story for them. For our viewers. For this noble country. Keeping up a very brave fight. At a very tough time. We’ll see what the month holds.