EXPLAINED: The Curious Case of the Kyiv ‘Earthquake’

It’s been an eventful weekend in Kyiv as the capital faces an ongoing onslaught of Russian drone and missile attacks, but things took a slightly bizarre turn in the early hours of Sunday morning when reports of an earthquake began surfacing.

During the massive drone attack on the capital overnight, a significant number of Kyiv’s residents reported prolonged vibrations that could be felt in parts of the city.

The unusual phenomenon was strong enough to shake chandeliers…

And apparently strong enough to dislodge dust and debris in fireplaces…

Could it have just been from the interception of Russian drones?

Those living in Kyiv are sadly very familiar with the experience of exploding drones and missiles and while they can certainly be strong enough to shake buildings, their effect is also very short-lived.

And enough people reported the strange shaking to prompt authorities to look into the matter.

Journalist Andriy Tsaplienko wrote on Telegram on Sunday morning: “Many subscribers from Kyiv wrote about a strange and long-lasting vibrations in their homes at night, as if during an earthquake. 

“This was already felt after the drone attack and explosions. Experts are looking for an explanation.”

What did the experts conclude?

According to seismologists in Ukraine, no earthquakes were recorded in the Kyiv region at the time. This was also confirmed by international experts.

What was it then?

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Russia has ramped up production of ballistic Iskander missiles, while Kalibr missiles dominate its stockpiles.

At the time of writing this remains a mystery, but Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko gave what appeared to be a tongue-in-cheek answer when asked about it on national television on Sunday evening.

With a slight smile on his face, he replied: “It is weapons going to the front, new and powerful ones. The vibration may be caused by that.”

Obviously, his answer went down a storm on social media, with people speculating just which new weapons Ukraine now has that are capable of causing earthquakes.

So the case remains unsolved?

At present, yes, although recent events have taught people in Kyiv to keep a very open mind about strange phenomena.

As well as being attacked with hundreds of Russian missiles and kamikaze drones in recent weeks, Kyiv has also had to deal with a meteor which prompted frenzied speculation about new weapons and a raft of tongue-in-cheek memes about aliens joining the fight against Russia.