Supermarkets in Kyiv's Desnianskyi District Offer 24/7 Shelter Amid Heating Crisis

Kyiv Supermarkets Open Around the Clock to Aid Residents

According to Главком: In response to a severe heating crisis, several major supermarket chains in Kyiv's Desnianskyi district have begun operating 24 hours a day. These stores are now providing not only sales but also spaces for residents to rest, work, and charge their devices. This emergency measure comes as 378 apartment buildings in Kyiv remain without heat as of January 30, 2026, a direct consequence of a devastating attack on January 24 that crippled the region's utility infrastructure.

Stores Operating on a 24-Hour Basis

The 'Silpo' supermarket chain has opened two locations for continuous service:

• 61/2 Mykoly Zakrevskoho Street
• 91/29a Honore de Balzac Street

These stores offer round-the-clock food supplies, seating for 20–30 people, work tables, and the ability to charge devices (220V). They are providing free tea, sugar, lemon, and hot water, and have a microwave oven available. A generator is running constantly, and basement areas can be used as shelters. Overnight, 'Silpo' continues to sell all items except alcohol and tobacco products.

The Novus network, located at 85 Chervonoii Kalyny Avenue, is also open 24/7. One checkout lane remains operational at all times, with tea and coffee machines available, along with extra seating and device charging stations (though not for high-power appliances).

The Varus supermarket at 44a Chervonoii Kalyny Street similarly ensures non-stop product sales, offering tea, coffee, seating, and device charging. The 'ATB' chain, with several addresses in the Desnianskyi district, including:

• 4 Lisovyi Avenue
• 7 Kashtanova Street
• 60/10 Chervonoii Kalyny Avenue
• 89b Chervonoii Kalyny Avenue
• 62 Honore de Balzac Street
• 9 Mykoly Lavrukhina Street

has also switched to a 24-hour schedule. 'ATB' supermarkets provide continuous food sales, device charging, and access to coffee, tea, and other beverages.

These actions are a direct response to critical heating failures in the city, notably the disabling of the TEC-6 power plant, which left the Troieshchyna residential district without heat. This situation has forced Kyiv's power utility, DTEK 'Kyivski Elektromerezhi', to announce a major change: on January 29, they canceled the standard stabilization blackout schedules and introduced a new system of individual power supply schedules for each specific address.

The shift to 24-hour operations by supermarkets during Kyiv's utility crisis demonstrates an effort to provide residents with essential goods and a degree of comfort during an extremely difficult period.

These new measures not only facilitate access to food but also create vital spaces for rest and work in the absence of home heating. The changes to electricity supply schedules indicate the city is attempting to adapt to unprecedented challenges, offering residents alternative solutions to help maintain their daily lives. This crisis highlights the severe strain on urban infrastructure in conflict zones, where civilian services become critical lifelines.