The release, organized by the Ukrainian Center for Chiropteran Rehabilitation, drew more than 1,000 attendees on Saturday evening, including families, off-duty soldiers and wildlife enthusiasts.

The event coincided with the onset of spring following a winter marked by subzero temperatures, repeated Russian drone and missile attacks, and widespread power disruptions.Volunteers opened cloth bags at dusk, allowing the bats to take flight as onlookers observed and applauded.

Many of the animals had been rescued from eastern regions affected by fighting, where destruction of buildings has disrupted natural habitats.Anastasiia Vovk, a volunteer with the rehabilitation center, said all 28 bat species in Ukraine are listed as protected due to declining populations.

She said conservation efforts were critical, noting that the animals are included on endangered species lists.Experts say the war has compounded threats to bat populations. Explosions and structural damage have destroyed traditional roosting sites, while disturbances during winter hibernation can be fatal.

Bats reproduce slowly, typically bearing one or two offspring annually, limiting population recovery.Alona Shulenko, who led the release, said habitat loss has forced bats into urban areas, where they shelter in buildings and balconies.

Repairs or demolition of such structures can destroy entire colonies, she added.Ukraine lies along an important eastern European migratory route for bats, all of which in the country are insect-eating and legally protected.

The rehabilitation center said it has rescued more than 30,000 bats overall, including around 4,000 during the past winter.Attendees described the event as a rare opportunity for normalcy amid the conflict.

Oleksii Beliaiev, a Kyiv resident attending with his family, said the gathering provided a temporary distraction from wartime pressures, though he noted the conflict remains the central concern for most Ukrainians.

Shulenko said the organization would continue its work despite the challenges posed by the war, emphasizing that halting rescue efforts could result in significant losses to already vulnerable bat populations.