Air Raid Alerts in Ukraine: Safety Rules for Foreign Workers

Why you should know this before you arrive

Ukraine is under martial law, and the "Air Raid Alert" signal is part of daily life. Ukrainians are used to the rules, but for a worker who has just arrived from India, Bangladesh or Nepal, the first alert can be a shock — especially when announcements are in an unfamiliar language. Below are the basic rules based on the recommendations of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (DSNS). They do not replace the safety briefing at your workplace or local announcements.

How you will know about an alert

• Sirens and loudspeakers. In cities the signal is given by sirens. Don't ignore them, even if alerts are frequent.
• The "Povitriana Tryvoha" (Air Alert) app. Created with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, it sends notifications when an alert starts and ends in the region or community you choose, and works even in silent mode. Install it on your first day and select the region where you live and work.
• Official city apps and channels. The DSNS advises knowing your nearest shelter in advance; official city apps, among others, help you find it.

What to do when the signal sounds

The main DSNS rule: go to the nearest shelter immediately and stay there until the all-clear.

• Outdoors. Go to the nearest shelter: an underground passage, a metro station or an equipped shelter.
• In a vehicle. If you are driving, stop where you won't block traffic and walk to the shelter.
• In the open with no shelter nearby. Lie on the ground, cover your head with your hands and look for the lowest point around you (a ditch or hollow).
• At home. Take your emergency bag, turn off gas and electrical appliances, close windows and doors and go to the shelter.

Help children, elderly people and people with disabilities reach safety.

The two-walls rule is a last resort

If you cannot reach a shelter, the DSNS advises waiting in a room separated from the outside by two load-bearing walls, away from windows — for example, a corridor or bathroom. But remember: two walls protect only against broken glass and the blast wave. This is not a substitute for a shelter, so don't let it become your default.

Emergency bag

Prepare a small bag you can grab in a minute. The DSNS recommends documents, money, medicines, hygiene items, warm clothes, water and food, a flashlight and a means of communication. As a foreigner, also add:

1. copies of your passport, residence permit and work permit (keep the originals within easy reach) — if documents do get lost, see what to do if you lose your passport or residence permit;
2. a power bank and charging cable;
3. a paper list of key contacts: employer, coordinator, your country's embassy;
4. any regular medication, with the prescription.

An alert during your shift

Every workplace has its own rules: where to go, who keeps track of people in the shelter, how work resumes after the all-clear. Ask for them to be explained in a language you understand at your first briefing, and check:

• where the shelter is and how to get there;
• who is responsible for you during an alert;
• how time spent in the shelter is paid — according to your employer's rules and your employment contract (for your general rights, see rights of foreign workers in Ukraine).

After the all-clear

Don't leave until the all-clear sounds. Stay away from debris and don't touch suspicious objects — report them by calling 101. If you or someone nearby is injured, call emergency medical services on 103 — we explain how healthcare works for foreigners in our article on medical care in Ukraine.

How ASHA Ukraine helps

When preparing candidates for work in Ukraine, ASHA Ukraine explains not only how to obtain a work permit and a residence permit, but also basic safety rules under martial law, so that your first week in a new country is less stressful.

Sources: DSNS — what to do during an air raid alert; Government of Ukraine — DSNS reminds how to act during an air raid alert; Government of Ukraine — Air Alert app launched with the support of the Ministry of Digital Transformation. As of 30.10.2026; always follow instructions from local authorities.