Russia bombs Ukraine almost every night. This is what it sounds like.

"The air raid sirens screamed first, their wail cutting through the nighttime hush, keening danger. Then came the low whine of drones. Over cities of sleeping people, the Iranian-designed Shahed drones swarmed, their dark bellies crammed with explosives. At their approach, Ukraine's air defenses fired up, a stream of bullets disappearing into the stars, rat-tat-tat, followed by the bang of explosions. But still the drones came, too many to shoot down."

"Then come the ballistic missiles. More feeling than sound, entire cities seem to quake as they hit, powerful enough to shred bodies and gut tall buildings. In Kyiv, the blast waves punched outward, shattering glass, detonating car alarms, shaking the air, making you question if you are alive or dead. Was that it? Am I still here? Finally, daybreak. Quiet. Birds are singing."

Air raid sirens and the low whine of Iranian-designed Shahed drones now puncture Ukrainian nights as swarms carrying explosives overlie sleeping cities. Air defenses fire streams of bullets, but the drones often arrive in numbers too large to intercept and slam into hotels, homes, hospitals, schools, shopping centers and mail facilities. Attacks have ranged from Sumy in the east to areas within an hour of the Polish border. Drone assaults can rage for hours before abating, only to be followed by ballistic missiles whose blast waves shatter glass, gut buildings and inflict catastrophic casualties. Since the beginning of the year, Russian air attacks have increased more than fivefold, making nights deafening with sirens, drones and missile booms.

Read at The Washington Post