More than 1,000 apartment complexes in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, are currently lacking heating after a devastating Russian assault earlier this week, as per local officials on Sunday. Russia has escalated attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since invading the country on February 24, 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Russia unleashed 1,100 drones, over 890 guided aerial bombs, and more than 50 missiles, encompassing ballistic, cruise, and medium-range weaponry, against Ukraine in the past week. A missile strike on Kyiv on Friday resulted in the city losing power and heating during severe cold weather. It wasn’t until Sunday that water supplies were restored and partial electricity and heating were reinstated.
Zelenskyy accused Russia of deliberately waiting for freezing temperatures to worsen conditions for Ukrainian civilians, labeling it as “a cynical Russian terror targeting civilians.” Moscow has not responded immediately. The ongoing damage to the grid from the war’s fourth winter could lead to the coldest and darkest period yet, with temperatures expected to drop to -20°C. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that the energy supply situation in the capital remains challenging, with severe frosts predicted to persist.
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry reported that Russian forces attacked the country’s power system again, causing brief power outages in the southeastern Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions overnight. Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko highlighted that attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure occurred daily this week, with a total of 44 incidents recorded. Restoration efforts for heat and electricity supplies are progressing rapidly, with significant improvements in Kyiv anticipated by Thursday.