Ukrainian Civilians Persevere Amid Repeated Russian Attacks

By July 6, 2026, Kyiv faced severe damage from Russian missile strikes. Kateryna Tereshkova, a Ukrainian volunteer, witnessed the destruction of an apartment complex she had repaired the previous month. ‘It’s a strange feeling because you always hope everything will be okay,’ Tereshkova told CBS News. She noted the unusual circumstances of returning to the same location, rather than different addresses within the city.

Residents greeted her with humor despite their losses. ‘People come to us and say, “Ah, we remember you. You fixed it already on my balcony, but now I don’t have apartments anymore,”‘ she shared, highlighting humor as a cultural coping mechanism.

The attacks on July 6 led to at least 22 deaths in Kyiv and its region, underscoring gaps in Ukraine’s air defenses despite reliance on U.S. Patriot systems to intercept missiles. The increased assaults came as retaliation for Ukraine’s long-range strikes, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.

‘We just had one and a half days for sleeping,’ Tereshkova said, describing her exhausted team.

Since Russia’s initial invasion of eastern Ukraine in 2014, Tereshkova has volunteered continuously. She shifted to full-time volunteering after the 2022 invasion. ‘It’s an algorithm now. It’s the same every time,’ she explained. Volunteers clean apartments, remove broken windows and doors, and use temporary fixes like plastic film and wooden panels until government aid arrives.

Though exhausted, Tereshkova remains determined. ‘I feel tired sometimes, but I don’t know how it’s working for me. It’s like my destiny.’ Despite fatigue, she persists: ‘I just need, from time to time, to have some sleep. After that, okay, let’s go.’

This coverage was supported by contributions from the Associated Press.