The official application used for transportation in the capital of Ukraine, Kiev, has turned into a platform that aims to save lives with warnings and directions against Russia’s air attacks.
According to the news of the Guardian newspaper published in England, the application called Kyiv Digital, which was used to buy bus tickets or pay the parking fee, now marks the endangered areas on the map and directs people to the nearest shelters.
On the map; pharmacies, centers with free water and bread, open markets and working gas stations are also shown.
With the help of Petro Olenic, the country’s official in charge of digital transformation and Deputy Mayor of Kyiv, the focus of the application had already shifted 24 hours after Russia entered Ukraine.
In a written statement, Olenic said, “We had to adapt our services to the latest situation, and we did it. The reason is clear. We must defend our country, our cities, our residents, our parents, our children and our future. This is our home and we will fight until the end.”
‘It has become the most basic warning mechanism against attacks’
Olenic’s spokesperson emphasizes that the app, which has been used by nearly 1.5 million people so far, has turned into the most basic warning mechanism against attacks for city residents.
The platform is one of the most downloaded free applications in Ukraine.
Users can learn how to support the Ukrainian army or access official information resources.
Ukrainian academic Denis Malakhatka is one of these users:
“I used to find this long-existing app useful, which you could use to buy bus tickets or pay for parking fees. They changed the app after the war started. It no longer just tells you when to go to bomb shelters, it also informs you when a possible attack is over.”
Malakhatka says she was relieved to know when an airstrike had ended.
Kyiv metro turned into a bunker
Before the invasion of Russia, close to 1 million people used the Kyiv metro daily.
The stations now serve as emergency shelters for close to 15,000 people.
When the curfew begins at 19:00 local time, many people sleep at the stations.
Authorities are trying to ensure that people stay in touch with their loved ones and keep them safe by offering wireless internet access in a significant part of Kiev.
On the other hand, there are users who are not satisfied with the change in the focus of the application.
“The alarm goes off 8-10 times a day and I don’t want to hear it when I sleep,” says Kyle Kondratiev, a volunteer helping civilians in Ukraine.
In the city, where public transportation is limited and most gas stations are closed, the application, which also displays the map of petrol stations, is of great importance for most Kiev residents. Thus, the residents of the city avoid long gas lines and hours of searching on the roads.
This is not the only app in Ukraine that provides warning and guidance.
At the request of the Ukrainian government, Google has put into service the rapid weather warning system, which can be used by android users in the country. In the statement made on the company’s blog page, it was stated that the warning system was based on the information and guidance shared by the Ukrainian government.