It’s Not Just About Surviving”: The Ukrainian Frontline City Where Life Goes On Under Cover

In a city scarred by constant shelling and the distant echo of artillery, life continues in quiet and determined ways. Along Ukraine’s eastern frontline, residents of a battered urban center have learned how to adapt to war — not only to survive, but to preserve a sense of normalcy beneath the shadow of destruction.
The city, located just kilometers from active fighting, has become a symbol of civilian resilience. Buildings stand pockmarked by shrapnel, streets are half-empty, and windows are covered with plywood instead of glass. Yet beneath the ground, in basements and makeshift shelters, everyday routines persist: children study, shopkeepers open small stalls, and families gather for meals.
A City Forced Underground
With air raid sirens sounding almost daily, much of life has shifted below street level. Schools operate in underground classrooms, grocery stores function from reinforced cellars, and even fitness centers and cafés have been relocated into basements.
“We learned that survival alone is not enough,” said Olena, a former teacher who now runs a small learning center in a shelter. “Children need education. People need work. We need to feel human.”
Electricity cuts and water shortages are common, but local volunteers and municipal workers repair what they can between attacks. Sandbags protect entrances to public buildings, and metal plates shield fragile infrastructure.
Daily Life in the Shadow of War
Residents describe a strange balance between fear and routine. In the mornings, some commute to essential jobs — hospitals, aid centers, and public utilities. In the afternoons, families queue for bread and supplies delivered by humanitarian groups.
At night, curfews and darkness return. Candlelight replaces streetlamps, and radio updates become the city’s connection to the outside world.
Despite the danger, many refuse to leave. Elderly citizens remain because their entire lives are rooted there. Others stay to protect homes or care for relatives who cannot travel.
“My parents are buried here. This is my city,” said Viktor, a former factory worker. “If I leave, who will keep it alive?”
Cultural Resistance
Even culture has found a way to survive. Underground concerts, poetry readings, and small exhibitions take place in reinforced spaces. Musicians perform quietly, knowing the sound of music contrasts with the sound of war.
One volunteer-run theater group stages short plays about daily life during conflict. Their goal is not entertainment but emotional survival.
“Art helps us breathe,” said one performer. “It reminds us that we are more than targets.”
Libraries distribute books and provide charging stations. Psychologists hold group sessions for children traumatized by explosions and displacement.
Economic Struggles
The local economy has nearly collapsed. Factories stand idle, and most businesses closed months ago. What remains are tiny enterprises: bakeries, repair shops, and street vendors selling vegetables and canned food.
International aid and government subsidies keep many families afloat, but resources are stretched thin. Fuel shortages and rising prices force residents to ration everything from food to heating.
Some young people earn money online or work remotely for companies in safer parts of Ukraine or abroad, using unstable internet connections powered by generators.
Psychological Toll
While resilience is visible, exhaustion runs deep. Mental health workers report rising anxiety, depression, and trauma symptoms among civilians. Children flinch at loud noises; adults struggle with sleep.
“Living like this is not natural,” said a local doctor. “The human mind was not built for constant danger.”
Yet the same professionals note that community support has become stronger. Neighbors share food, offer shelter, and check on one another after attacks.
This social bond has become the city’s strongest defense.
The Role of Volunteers
Volunteers play a critical role in keeping the city alive. They deliver medicine, evacuate the wounded, and help rebuild damaged homes. Many are locals who refused to flee.
Aid trucks arrive regularly with blankets, generators, and food. But reaching the city is risky, as roads are often targeted.
Still, convoys continue.
“If we stop, the city dies,” said one volunteer coordinator. “We cannot allow that.”
A Message to the World
Residents want the world to understand that war is not just about soldiers and battlefields. It is about ordinary people trying to live under extraordinary conditions.
“This is not only survival,” Olena said. “This is resistance. We choose life every day.”
Despite uncertainty about the future, citizens believe their endurance sends a powerful message: even under cover of war, humanity persists.
The frontline city stands as proof that while bombs may destroy buildings, they cannot easily erase identity, culture, or hope. Beneath concrete and steel, life continues — fragile, determined, and deeply human.