Kyiv's Heating Systems Targeted in Attack
Following a massive Russian strike on Ukraine's power generation, Kyiv's Desnianskyi district was left without heating. First Deputy Minister for Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine, Alona Shkrum, and the European Union's Ambassador to Ukraine, Katarina Mathernova, visited the affected area. While heating has been restored in the Troieshchyna neighborhood, other districts continue to face significant challenges. These attacks are part of a wider Russian campaign targeting Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, particularly during the winter months.
To address the crisis, 840 specialists working in 176 crews were deployed to restore the heating supply. Reinforcements arrived from other Ukrainian regions, capital city enterprises, and Ukrzaliznytsia, the national railway. As of the morning of February 8, 1,126 buildings in the Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts remained without heat. Emergency teams are actively working to repair nearly 300 separate damages caused by the attack.
Humanitarian Aid for Affected Residents
The organization World Central Kitchen, founded by chef José Andrés, has established approximately 50 hot meal distribution points in Kyiv to support residents impacted by the heating outages. Alona Shkrum expressed her gratitude, stating:
“Thank you for the borscht – it truly warms us up.”
In Troieshchyna, around 600 apartment buildings lost electricity, water, and heating. This was caused by damage to the TEC-6 thermal power plant following an attack on January 24. Maksym Bakhmatov, head of the Desnianskyi District State Administration, emphasized that the situation requires an urgent solution, as restoring heat is critically important for residents' well-being.
Crews continue to work on restoring heat, while organizations like World Central Kitchen provide hot meals, offering crucial support during this difficult period. The mobilization of specialists from across the country underscores a coordinated national effort to manage the crisis, while international humanitarian aid demonstrates vital solidarity with the Ukrainian people.