Acting mayor Regina Kharchenko told the BBC that during one particularly intensive attack she "did not go to the shelter, but when it got too loud I took cover in the toilet".

A Shahed drone crashed not far from Anna's office with a big bang, and another drone struck a cable, taking down the internet. "That's just another ordinary day in Zaporizhzhia," she said.

Their city is the administrative capital of Zaporizhzhia region, one of five regions in Ukraine's south and east that Russia claims as its own.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe's largest, is located almost 50km southwest of the city in part of the region under Russian occupation.

Following the relentless spate of Russian attacks, Zaporizhzhia city council met in an underground shelter to discuss the worsening situation. "The enemy has stepped up terror against civilians, municipal transport, privately-owned buses, cars, residential buildings and even children," Regina Kharchenko told the meeting.

Plans had been made to build more shelters across the city and put up more anti-drone nets at the busiest and most vulnerable locations, the acting mayor told the BBC later, and she said anti-shatter film was being applied to windows in schools, hospitals and public buildings.

"Personally, I'm very afraid," she said. At night she sometimes sleeps on the floor in a corridor at home: "I live in an ordinary high-rise, on the seventh floor. I've got no personal bunker with 10 bodyguards. I live an ordinary life."

Another possible factor, Cranny-Evans told the BBC, could be "reduced Ukrainian electronic warfare [activity], because of a focus elsewhere and an equally increased focus from Russian units" on Zaporizhzhia.

Local authorities say they intercepted 884 Russian drones in the last week of June alone.

While Russian troops have been forced to retreat south of Zaporizhzhia, they continue advancing elsewhere, albeit at a much slower pace than before.

Their progress has recently been hampered by a successful Ukrainian campaign of strikes against Russian oil refineries, fuel storage and logistics in occupied territories.

Hundreds of thousands of residents are staying put for now, but for Zaporizhzhia's population Russia's offensive remains a constant threat after almost four and a half years of war.

"We've got food and fuel, why would I leave? Maybe I'm not the easily scared type," says Anna.

Although she admits the thought of leaving has crossed her mind, she does not want Zaporizhzhia to become another city destroyed by Russia.

"We're just trying to stay safe and we're doing all we can to survive until our victory."