More than 1,000 residential buildings in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv are currently lacking heating after a destructive attack by Russia earlier this week, as per local authorities on Sunday. Since invading Ukraine on February 24, 2022, Russia has escalated attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Russia had unleashed a significant number of drones, guided aerial bombs, and various types of missiles, including ballistic and cruise missiles, in the past week, totaling over 1,100 attacks. A recent missile strike on Kyiv left the city without power and heat during freezing temperatures, with water supplies restored on Sunday and electricity and heat partially reinstated.
Zelenskyy accused Russia of purposely timing the attacks during harsh weather conditions to exacerbate the situation for Ukrainian civilians, labeling it as “cynical Russian terror targeting civilians.” Moscow has yet to respond to these allegations.
The ongoing conflict has severely damaged Ukraine’s energy grid, causing concerns about the upcoming winter being the harshest and darkest yet. With temperatures already below -12°C and expected to drop to -20°C later in the week, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko expressed the challenging energy supply situation in the capital. Restoration efforts are continuing, but the outlook remains challenging due to the forecasted severe frosts.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry reported that Russian forces carried out further attacks on the power system overnight, resulting in brief electricity outages in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko highlighted that attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure have been relentless, with 44 incidents recorded this week alone.
Despite the challenges, progress is being made in restoring heat and electricity supplies at a rapid pace. Svyrydenko mentioned that significant improvements in Kyiv would take time but aimed for substantial restoration by Thursday.