Against the backdrop of near-24/7 air raid alerts in Kyiv, caused by massive attacks using jet-powered drones, Ukraine's largest bank has effectively restructured the operating mode of its branches. According to PrivatBank's press service, as reported by RBC-Ukraine, the bank's branches do not operate while an air raid alert is in effect. The bank emphasized that this decision is dictated by concern for the life and safety of employees and clients, whom the bank does not want to expose to risk during moments of greatest threat.
PrivatBank's official position
In response to the publication's request, PrivatBank's press service stated that the bank "cares for the life and safety of its employees and clients" and therefore "does not expose them to risk." The wording is unambiguous: "At present, while an air raid alert is in effect, in the interest of the safety of the life and health of employees and clients, PrivatBank branches do not operate." Thus, even if a branch's sign displays a standard schedule — for example, from 9:00 to 18:00 without a break, with Saturdays and Sundays as days off — actual customer service during such periods is suspended until the alert is lifted. For the capital's residents, this means that planned visits to the bank must be coordinated with the current air raid alert situation.
New tactics of attacks on the capital
The reason for the bank's review of its operating mode lies in a change in the nature of enemy strikes. At the end of August, Russia shifted to a new tactic of terrorizing Kyiv: the enemy launches waves of strike drones at the capital for days on end, and some of them are jet-powered, which significantly complicates their interception by air defense forces. It is precisely this dynamic that makes the periods between alerts unpredictable and raises the risks for people who are outdoors or in unfortified premises, including bank branches.
Impact on the city and a review of safety rules
The scale of the attacks is already noticeably affecting the capital's daily life: more than ten air raid alerts may be declared in Kyiv within a single day, which effectively paralyzes the city's operations. Against this backdrop, the Cabinet of Ministers and the Kyiv Defense Council decided to review the safety rules in force in the capital. Among the measures under discussion are a possible change to the metro operating scheme between the right and left banks, as well as a relaxation of the curfew and other adjustments. Limiting the operation of bank branches during alert hours fits logically into this overall framework: financial operations that do not require immediate presence are postponed to periods of relative safety.
Expert assessments and outlook
Analysts note that the new drone attack tactics may persist for a long time and could potentially spread beyond the capital. Anton Zemyany, an expert at the Ukrainian Center for Security and Cooperation, in a comment to RBC-Ukraine, considered scenarios for how long the drone terror of Kyiv might last and whether the enemy's tactics could be extrapolated to western regions of Ukraine. For the banking sector, this means that temporary suspensions of branch operations during alert hours may become not a one-off measure but a stable element of the operating regime amid continuing attacks.
What this means for customers
The practical takeaway for PrivatBank customers in Kyiv is simple: when planning a visit to a branch, current air raid alert announcements must be taken into account, as service is not provided during such times. The bank directly links this measure to the protection of people, not to technical limitations. In conditions of more than ten alerts per day, residents and visitors to the capital should rely on remote service channels and coordinate urgent operations with a specific branch in advance, so as not to waste time on a visit at a moment when the branch is closed for safety reasons.
