More than 1,000 apartment buildings in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, are currently facing a lack of heating after a severe attack by Russian forces earlier this week, as confirmed by local authorities on Sunday. Following the invasion by Russia on February 24, 2022, there has been a significant escalation in the bombardment of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy revealed that Russia has launched a barrage of military actions against Ukraine, including 1,100 drones, over 890 guided aerial bombs, and more than 50 missiles, encompassing ballistic, cruise, and medium-range weaponry, in the past week. The situation worsened on Friday when a missile strike caused a widespread power outage and heating failure in Kyiv during a cold spell. It wasn’t until Sunday that authorities managed to restore water supplies partially and reestablish some electricity and heat services.
Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately choosing freezing weather conditions to exacerbate the suffering of the Ukrainian population, labeling it as “cynical Russian terror targeting civilians.” Moscow has not issued any immediate response to these allegations.
The ongoing conflict has severely damaged the energy grid, pushing utilities to their limits. With temperatures already below –12°C and expected to drop further to –20°C later this week, the fourth winter of the war could be the harshest and darkest yet. Mayor Vitali Klitschko of Kyiv acknowledged the challenging energy supply situation in the capital and warned that the severe cold weather is likely to persist in the coming days.
Despite the challenges, efforts to restore energy supplies are progressing swiftly. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported that Russian forces targeted the power system again, causing a brief electricity cut to regions in the southeast. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko highlighted the continuous attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure, with 44 incidents recorded in a single week. She expressed optimism that significant improvements in Kyiv could be achieved by Thursday, although a full recovery will take time.
The images of residents coping with the aftermath of the attacks, such as Sergiy Przhistovskiy melting snow for water after his building lost water, heat, and gas due to a Russian drone strike, serve as a stark reminder of the hardships faced by the Ukrainian people during this conflict.