Short answer. Ukraine's official checklist is the "alarm suitcase" (тривожна валіза): a backpack of at least 30 litres holding documents, cash, a radio, a torch, a first-aid set, a week of regular medicines, food for several days and drinking water for 1-2 days 1. The list below comes from a Kyiv district civil-protection department; the State Emergency Service adds a pet carrier and pet food 2.
What goes in the alarm suitcase?
Tick off each line. Quantities are those given in the official guidance; "not specified" means the source gives none 1.
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Backpack with minimum clothing, hygiene items, medicines, tools and food | From 30 litres |
| Copies of important documents (passports, driving licence, property and vehicle documents) in waterproof packaging, with family photos | Not specified |
| Bank cards and cash reserve | Not specified |
| Spare keys to home and car | 1 set |
| Local map, agreed family emergency contact method and meeting place | Not specified |
| Small FM/VHF radio (dynamo models mentioned), spare batteries; basic mobile phone with charger | 1 |
| Torch, preferably several, with spare batteries and bulbs | 1 or more |
| Waterproof compass and watch | 1 each |
| Multitool; knife and hatchet | 1 each |
| Signalling devices (whistle, flare) | Not specified |
| 120-litre rubbish bags | About 5 |
| Roll of wide adhesive tape | 1 |
| Synthetic cord, 4-5 mm diameter | 20 m |
| Notebook and pencil; thread and needles | Not specified |
| First-aid kit: dressings, antiseptic, heart and stomach tablets, sorbents, sedative | Minimum set |
| Regular prescription medicines with dosage and how to take them, plus names and phone numbers of your doctors | One week's supply |
| Clothing: underwear, cotton socks, spare trousers, shirt or sweater, raincoat, knitted hat, gloves, scarf, sturdy shoes | 2 sets of underwear, 2 pairs of socks, 1 of each other item |
| Mini tent, foam mat, sleeping bag | Optional but desirable |
| Hygiene items: toothbrush and paste, soap, towel, toilet paper, tissues, wet wipes, sanitary products | Not specified |
| Items for children | Not specified |
| Cookware: pot, flask, spoon, metal mug, folding cup | Mug 0.5 L |
| Matches (preferably windproof) and lighter | Not specified |
| Ready-to-eat, compact, long-life food and high-calorie snacks | Several days |
| Drinking water, renewed periodically | 1-2 days |
| Food examples: tinned stewed meat, crackers, soup packets, tinned meat or fish; grains or pasta if space allows | 2 tins of stewed meat; others not specified |
And from the State Emergency Service 2:
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Pet carrier and pet food | Not specified |
How should I keep the kit up to date?
The guidance asks you to renew the drinking water periodically 1. Our guides on food shelf life and water per person help you plan rotation. For the medical part, see first-aid kit; for documents, see important documents.
Is three days of food officially recommended?
The State Emergency Service's civil-protection training centre in Kyiv is reported to advise three days of long-keeping food that needs no cooking, but its page could not be read from outside Ukraine. The confirmed guidance says "several days" 1. See emergency supplies.
Turn this list into your plan
The official list above is the reference, and you can assemble everything on it yourself. The Phaenyx plan counts each line for your household, adds the risks around your home and comes with the Phaenyx Safe app. Build your Phaenyx plan.
Frequently asked questions
How big should the alarm suitcase be?
A backpack from 30 litres 1.
How much water goes in the kit?
Drinking water for 1-2 days, renewed periodically 1.
How many days of medicines?
One week of your regular prescription medicines, with dosage instructions and your doctors' contacts 1.
Sources
- Святошинська районна в місті Києві державна адміністрація (Відділ з питань цивільного захисту) — «Тривожна валіза», або Список речей, які повинні бути у вас на випадок … — https://svyat.kyivcity.gov.ua/news/trivozhna-valiza-abo-spisok-rechey-yaki-povinni-buti-u-vas-na-vipadok (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Міністерство внутрішніх справ України (ГУ ДСНС у Київській області) — Тривожна валіза: те, що має бути напоготові — https://mvs.gov.ua/news/trivozna-valiza-te-shho-maje-buti-napogotovi (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Ukraine, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- Святошинська районна в місті Києві державна адміністрація (Відділ з питань цивільного захисту) · «Тривожна валіза», або Список речей, які повинні бути у вас на випадок … checked 2026-10-20
- Міністерство внутрішніх справ України (ГУ ДСНС у Київській області) · Тривожна валіза: те, що має бути напоготові checked 2026-10-20