Today, Kyiv Metro celebrates its 65th anniversary since its launch. For the past four years, the underground has operated amidst a full-scale war, serving as a critical transport artery and a shelter that saves the lives of thousands of Kyiv residents.
From the first days of the invasion, metro workers joined the defense of the country — some remained underground, while others took up arms to fight for freedom.
“Unfortunately, among our team, there are those who did not return. 31 metro employee lost their lives defending Ukraine's independence. They were top-notch professionals, sincere friends, loving parents — individuals who moved this city daily and then stood up to protect its free future,” the Kyiv Metro press service reported.
The metro emphasized that the memory of fallen colleagues is an integral part of the subway's history, which continues to operate against all odds.
The first stations of Kyiv Metro — “Vokzalna,” “Universytet,” “Khreshchatyk,” “Arsenalna,” and “Dnipro” — were built almost by hand. Today, they are included in the list of architectural monuments.
In the 1950s, most of the work was done without modern technology: soil and concrete were loaded manually, and the construction required a large number of people and resources. At that time, it was one of the largest infrastructure projects in the country.