More than 1,000 residential buildings in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, are still lacking heating following a destructive attack by Russia earlier this week, as confirmed by local authorities on Sunday. Russia has escalated its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since its invasion of the country on February 24, 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Russia had initiated assaults using 1,100 drones, over 890 guided aerial bombs, and more than 50 missiles, encompassing ballistic, cruise, and medium-range weapons on Ukraine in the past week. A missile strike on Kyiv on Friday resulted in the city losing power and heating during a severe cold spell. It wasn’t until Sunday that the authorities managed to restore water supplies and partially reinstate electricity and heating services.
Zelenskyy condemned Russia for waiting deliberately for freezing weather to exacerbate the situation for Ukrainian civilians, labeling it as “a cynical Russian terror targeting civilians.” Moscow has not responded immediately to these accusations. The ongoing war has severely damaged the energy grid, with utilities on the brink and temperatures expected to drop to -20 degrees Celsius this week, following already freezing conditions below -12 degrees Celsius.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko of Kyiv mentioned that despite ongoing restoration efforts, the energy supply situation in the capital remains challenging due to the severe weather conditions. The Ukrainian Energy Ministry reported that Russian forces attacked the country’s power system again, leading to a brief power outage in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions during the night.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko highlighted that there were 44 attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure throughout the week, emphasizing the urgent need for restoration. While improvements in Kyiv are progressing rapidly, achieving substantial advancements will take time, with the target set for Thursday to stabilize the situation.