Russia has made Kyiv’s water supply an “active focus” of its attacks, Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said Monday, Oct. 19, warning residents to prepare for difficult conditions this winter.
“Electricity and heating – we have already been through that, but water supply in Kyiv is now a very active focus for the Russians,” Koretskyi said in an interview with BBC News Ukrainian.
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He said the government and utilities were preparing backup power for water facilities, reserve pumping stations and alternative ways to deliver water. Those measures could help keep services operating during disruptions, but would not guarantee normal conditions if attacks intensify.
Energy infrastructure under renewed attack
Koretskyi’s warning comes amid a renewed Russian campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure ahead of winter.
On Oct. 19, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian attacks had damaged more than 10 energy facilities overnight and left at least 550,000 households without electricity.
The damage adds to the pressure on Kyiv’s energy system. The capital’s three main combined heat and power plants – CHP-5, CHP-6 and Darnytsia CHP – are no longer generating electricity, citing an investigation by Ekonomichna Pravda.
Their previous combined output could reach about 1.3 gigawatts. The plants’ loss of generation increases Kyiv’s dependence on electricity delivered from other parts of the country.
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Ukraine has also warned that the attacks are part of a wider plan
Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukrainian intelligence had obtained Russian documents detailing planned attacks on electricity generation, heating, water supply and sewage systems.
The documents reportedly included calculations of the weapons and quantities needed to hit specific facilities.
Russia has already struck Kyiv’s energy infrastructure repeatedly this month. In an overnight attack on Oct. 13-14, Russian forces targeted all three of the city’s municipal CHP plants, as well as energy infrastructure in Kyiv and nearby regions.
Preparing water systems for possible strikes
Koretskyi said Russia’s tactics had changed and that the coming winter could bring harsher conditions. He said Russian forces were attacking infrastructure and systems that support daily life, making preparations essential.
The measures he described include backup electricity for water facilities, reserve pumping stations and alternative supply routes. They are intended to help utilities maintain service if power supplies or individual facilities are disrupted.
Kyiv has experienced interruptions to water service during recent attacks on energy infrastructure. The city’s water system relies on electricity to pump and distribute water, making it vulnerable when strikes disrupt power supplies.
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