Kyiv’s water and heating systems were restored after a brief shutdown due to severe cold in the Ukrainian capital on Saturday. Engineers worked urgently to stabilize a power grid that was heavily strained by a series of Russian strikes this week.
The attacks on Friday resulted in significant civilian casualties and left millions of Ukrainians without crucial services such as electricity, heating, and water during a critical humanitarian situation, according to Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary General.
Since the invasion by Russia on Feb. 24, 2022, Russia has been consistently targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leading to daily blackouts lasting for multiple hours in major cities. The heating and water systems have also suffered substantial damage in recent weeks, raising concerns as temperatures plummet below freezing.
The city administration announced around noon on Saturday that the state grid operator Ukrenergo had instructed the shutdown of Kyiv’s power system, causing disruptions to water and heating systems, as well as public transport electrification.
Less than an hour later, Ukrenergo reported that engineers had addressed the immediate issue caused by previous Russian strikes, and power was gradually being restored in parts of Kyiv. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stated that the centralized heating system, which supplies hot water to homes through pipes in Ukrainian cities, was being reactivated with the expectation of full heat supply restoration by the end of Saturday.
However, the power situation in the capital remains challenging as the grid sustained significant damage, and increased use of electric heaters due to the cold further strains the system. On Friday, approximately 6,000 apartment blocks in Kyiv lost heating following the latest Russian missile and drone attack, with half of them having their heat supply restored before the power grid issue forced another shutdown.
In a retaliatory move, the governor of Russia’s Belgorod region revealed that 600,000 residents were left without essential services like electricity, heating, and water after a missile strike from Ukraine. Efforts are underway to restore supplies, but the situation is described as extremely difficult.
Meanwhile, a Ukrainian drone strike caused a fire at an oil depot in Russia’s Volgograd region, prompting regional authorities to consider potential evacuations. The ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia has escalated, with both countries facing severe challenges such as blackouts and infrastructure damage.