Russia Pounds Kyiv’s Energy Infrastructure: How Are Residents Preparing for Winter?

Massive Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have already disrupted electricity and water supplies in the capital. Power outage schedules are not always followed, public transport is experiencing disruptions, and it remains unclear when the heating season will begin or how long it will last.

Yet despite Russian attacks and the resulting problems, offices and businesses continue to work in Kyiv, and traffic jams continue to clog the roads. Kyiv residents are in no hurry to leave the city.

We asked them several questions. The most important was: what will they do if the situation deteriorates?

“Of course, it’s not easy, but I’m glad that somehow things are a little easier this year than they were in 2022–2023. But what else can we do? Last year, the problems were mainly on the Left Bank, while the Right Bank managed more or less to cope. I hope both banks will manage this year,” Artem, a student, says.

“It’s quite unpleasant. I live right here in the city center, so my electricity isn’t cut off that often. But when it comes to heating, yes, it’s cold. During previous winters, the temperature in my apartment dropped to 7 or 8 degrees Celsius. That’s really unpleasant. I honestly don’t understand what I’m paying for,” says Roman, a food delivery worker.

Other Topics of Interest

‘Wrong and Unacceptable’: Zelensky Accuses Trump of Shifting Iran Blame to Kyiv

Zelensky rejects Trump’s claims about Ukraine and diesel prices, pointing to the Iran war and demanding pressure on Putin and air defense missiles.

“To be honest, the cold doesn’t bother me that much. I’ve probably got used to it because I’m from Pokrovsk. I’ve been used to it for a long time,” says Oleksandr, a displaced person from Donbas whose hometown was destroyed by Russian forces through massive bombing and artillery attacks.

“Last winter was also very unpleasant. I had no heating in my apartment until February. So far, everything is fine this year. Power cuts, power cuts – so what? Nothing unusual. I expect it to be cold, and we need to be prepared for that. I’m ready because my family lives outside the city, and we have the opportunity to prepare,” says Nelia, a pensioner.

“We have our own house, and we’ve ordered a large portable power station. Yes, it’s quite expensive, but what can you do? We also have boilers. They’re large, wood-burning solid-fuel boilers. That’s how we get through the winter, and I think we’ll get through this one without any problems, too,” says Oleksandr, a worker.

“I think it’ll be like last year. I don’t think the heating season will begin at all. For example, I had no heating throughout the entire year,” says Artem, a software developer.

Russia is the main culprit and the root cause of these problems, so our next question was who should be held responsible for preparing the capital for winter.

Russia is to blame but that does not not eliminate the need to prepare for massive attacks, establish backup networks, develop alternative energy sources and provide additional protection for municipal infrastructure.

In Kyiv, the issue has taken on a political dimension, with the local authorities blaming the central government for the lack of preparedness and the central government pointing the finger at the city authorities.

“I actually think things will be much worse this year. That’s the trend, and I haven’t seen any preparations in Kyiv for what lies ahead, either by the local authorities or the central government. They’re doing nothing. What has Kyiv done? Nothing. They just moved money from one pocket to another, and in the end, accomplished nothing,” says Roman.

“First and foremost, the local authorities are responsible. Local officials need to be held accountable, starting at the lowest level. I don’t think the head of the administration is entirely to blame. There are subordinates who are supposed to perform their duties. Where are they, and what have they done? They should be held accountable,” says Nelia.

“I think responsibility is shared. The Kyiv City State Administration and, in particular, the Kyiv City Council had greater control over how allocated funds were spent, while the central government failed to ensure that all the necessary funding was provided,” says the student, Artem.

“I can’t say that only the central government is responsible. The city authorities must also be held accountable. Moreover, I think we should have been preparing for this throughout these years of war, using the summer to get ready. The fact that we aren’t prepared now is a systemic problem, in my opinion,” says Olha, a lawyer.

Finally, what will people do if things get really bad? What do they expect from the heating season? Will it even begin?

“I’m not leaving. I have nowhere to go! Where else could I go?” says Oleksandr, reacting emotionally.

“One option might be to go to the Kyiv region, to a village. But there’s a problem: not everyone can do that. People who live in Kyiv are tied to the city. Most can’t easily leave because they have studies or jobs,” says Artem.

“First of all, I don’t really have anywhere to go. I’ve made it through four winters, and I’ll make it through this one, too. So I think I’ll stay in Kyiv,” Nelia says.

“If I didn’t leave in 2022, I certainly won’t leave in 2026. That’s final,” says Olha.