Kyiv is urging companies to resume bike rentals so residents can move around the city

By Bill Chappell

Published March 30, 2022 at 11:30 AM CDT

A man with a bicycle walks near a tram which got destroyed by a rocket strike in the area few weeks ago on Monday in Kyiv, Ukraine.

The Kyiv city government is urging private companies to resume renting electric scooters and bicycles, one day after Russia said its military is shifting forces away from Ukraine's capital. Scooters and bikes can help people travel short distances, the city administration noted on its Telegram channel.

As for where Kyiv residents might want to go after enduring weeks of Russian shelling and airstrikes, the city has created a Google Map of businesses that are currently open. The list includes coffee shops, bakeries, dentist's offices — and dozens of repair businesses for everything from plumbing to windows and doors.

It's the latest hint that Kyiv could be heading toward more stability and away from catastrophic human suffering. On Monday, Kyiv's schools resumed offering online classes for distance learning — a decision the city council said was aimed at giving children psychological support and a distraction from a traumatic time, along with their school lessons.

Russia said on Tuesday that it will reduce its military activity around Kyiv, in what it calls a "de-escalation" move, though U.S. officials have expressed skepticism of the move.

First Deputy Interior Minister Yevhen Yenin is also warning that Kyiv remains a very dangerous place, citing large numbers of unexploded Russian munitions in the city, as Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne (Public) reported.

Yenin warned people to stay away from anything resembling an explosive device and to be particularly vigilant in keeping children away from items that could be part of military ordnance.

Anyone who fled their home in Kyiv and now wants to return should contact the national police and emergency services before doing so, to ensure it's safe, Yenin added.

More than 4 million refugees have left Ukraine since Russia invaded on Feb. 24, and about 6.5 million more are displaced within the country, the U.N. refugee agency said on Wednesday.

A version of this story originally appeared in the Morning Edition live blog.