Drone attack and missile threat: what to do — a guide for the whole family

      No one wants to think about the bad. But it is those who think ahead who survive. This instruction is not written to scare you. It is written so that you know what to do in the first seconds, where to run, and how to protect yourself and your loved ones. Keep it — and hopefully, you will never need it.

      What is a missile threat and a UAV attack:

      A missile threat is a warning that ballistic or cruise missiles have been detected moving towards a populated area. This signal means: you have mere minutes, sometimes seconds, to take cover.

      A UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) attack is a strike by drones, usually loitering munitions or strike drones. They are smaller, fly lower, can change course, and are harder to detect by air defense systems. This is why the actions during a UAV attack and a missile threat are largely similar, but have their nuances.

      Both types of threats are dangerous due to direct hits, shrapnel, shock waves, structural collapses, and fires. In the case of a direct hit even in a neighboring building, the radius of shrapnel damage can reach several hundred meters — this is not an exaggeration, but the physics of an explosion.

      Warning signals: what does an air raid alert mean and how to recognize it.

      Before talking about where to hide during a missile attack, it is important to understand how you will know about the danger at all.

      The "Air Raid Alert" signal is the main signal of an aerial threat. According to the official recommendations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, it is transmitted via radio broadcasting networks, radio stations, and television receivers by sending text about the danger and information about the actions of the population. Before it, the signal "Attention everyone!" — a continuous wail of electric sirens — sounds.

      In addition to the classic siren, today alerts come through:

      push notifications in the "Gosuslugi" app and regional Ministry of Emergency Situations apps;

      SMS messages from communication operators;

      sound sirens on the streets and in buildings;

      television and radio — interruption of broadcasts with an alarm signal;

      announcements through loudspeakers at transport hubs and public places.

      The rules of conduct during an air raid alert are the same: upon hearing the signal — immediately stop all activities and seek shelter. Do not wait for "what if it's a drill," do not look out the window at the sky, and do not film what is happening on your phone. Every second counts.

      If you are at home: how to take cover, what to take, what not to do

      Home seems like a safe place. But during a missile attack, it is the windows that become the main threat — glass shards fly like projectiles during a shock wave.

      Rules of conduct during an air raid alert at home:

      Immediately move away from windows and do not approach them — this is the first and most important rule.

      Take cover in a room without windows: a corridor, bathroom, pantry, or a solid wall. If possible — go down to an underground shelter or basement.

      Shut off gas, water, and cut power to the apartment.

      Take a go-bag (about its contents — below), documents, phone, and charger.

      Go down to the basement, lower floors, or a windowless inter-apartment corridor — where the walls are thickest.

      If there is no basement — the bathroom and corridor in the center of the apartment are better than rooms with windows.

      Lie on the floor, cover your head with your hands if you hear the whistling of an approaching projectile.

      What not to do: do not look out the window, do not go out onto the balcony, do not use the elevator (it may get stuck if the power goes out).

      If you are at work, in a store, or on the street: action algorithm

      Actions during a UAV attack and missile threat on the street differ from the home scenario — here you do not have a pre-prepared shelter, and you need to act quickly and without panic.

      On the street:

      Immediately leave open spaces;

      look for shelter in the nearest solid building;

      if you cannot find shelter — lie on the ground, cover your head with your hands, take cover behind a curb, concrete fence, in a ditch, or crater;

      stay away from shop windows, parked cars, kiosks, and bus stops — they do not provide protection and only create an illusion of shelter.

      In a store or office:

      follow the instructions of security personnel or administration — by law, every enterprise is required to have an evacuation plan (Federal Law No. 28-FZ "On Civil Defense");

      go down to lower floors or to the basement;

      move away from windows and glass partitions;

      notify nearby colleagues — just in case someone did not hear the signal.

      Where is the safest place in the building and where to hide during a missile attack: the basement or ground floor, internal corridors and staircases without windows, solid inter-floor ceilings — all that is as far away from external walls and glazed surfaces as possible. This is where to take cover in the city during a missile threat most reliably.

      If a child is at school: how the school should respond and what parents should do

      This is perhaps the most alarming scenario for any parent. Remember the main thing: do not rush to the school at the moment of alarm. It is dangerous for you and hinders the work of educators.

      According to the recommendations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia, when the air raid alert signal sounds, the school must:

      notify all staff of the danger signal;

      stop all outdoor mass events;

      organize the orderly evacuation of children to shelter — the basement or internal rooms without windows;

      set up observation posts around the perimeter of the institution;

      divide children into groups of no more than 15 with one educator if stable communication is available;

      keep children in shelter until receiving the "All Clear" signal.

      What to do if a child is at school during an attack: call the class teacher or duty administrator — make sure the children are in shelter, and wait for the official "All Clear" signal. After the all-clear, proceed along the usual route. Do not constantly call the child — it overloads the communication lines and distracts educators.

      If you are on the road: stop, shelter, panic

      The rules of conduct during an air raid alert for drivers and passengers are a separate story. The main misconception is "it's safer in the car." This is not true.

      How to save yourself during shelling and a drone strike if you are driving:

      immediately stop, park as far away from the center of the roadway as possible;

      leave the vehicle — it is not a safe shelter during a missile attack;

      walk towards the nearest solid building, underground passage, or parking garage;

      if you are on public transport — follow the driver's instructions, but if possible, leave the vehicle and go to shelter;

      if shelter cannot be found — move away from the car and lie in a ditch or behind a concrete barrier.

      Panic on the road is especially dangerous — it provokes traffic accidents and hinders the movement of emergency services. Take three deep breaths, act according to the algorithm.

      Where is the safest place: basements, parking garages, absence of windows

      Where to hide during a missile attack — this question boils down to one principle: the more barriers between you and the explosion, the better. Concrete and earth are your best friends. Remember the algorithm that describes where to take cover in the city during a missile threat.

      Rating of shelters — from the most reliable to the least reliable:

      special protective structure (bunker, anti-radiation shelter) — maximum protection;

      basement of a solid building — very good protection against shrapnel and shock waves;

      underground parking — good protection, plus minimal windows;

      underground passage — good against shrapnel, but vulnerable to close explosions;

      internal rooms on lower floors without windows (corridors, bathrooms, pantries) — satisfactory protection in the absence of a basement;

      first floor with thick walls and no windows — better than upper floors.

      Where to take cover in the city during a missile threat — remember the landmarks in advance: shopping centers with underground parking, metro stations (where available), underground passages, basements of residential buildings. Study the route from home, work, and your child's school — this will take 15 minutes but can save a life.

      Go-bag: what to pack in case of evacuation

      A go-bag in case of threat is a backpack of 25–35 liters, packed in advance, which you take and leave. There is no need to gather anything in a panic — everything is already prepared.

      Basic list according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Russia and regional emergency management:

      Documents: passport, SNILS, health insurance policy, children's birth certificates, driver's license — in a waterproof case.

      Money: a small supply of cash (ATMs and terminals may not work).

      Communication devices: a charged spare phone or power bank, a list of important numbers on paper.

      First aid kit: personal medications (for 3–5 days), pain relievers, bandages, tourniquet, antiseptic.

      Water and food: 1.5–2 liters of water, energy bars or canned goods for 2–3 days.

      Clothing: a change of underwear, warm socks, raincoat or light jacket.

      Flashlight and batteries or headlamp — light during a power outage