Kyiv Considers Outdoor Toilets After Power Plant Attack Leaves District Without Water

Utility Crisis in Kyiv's Desnianskyi District

According to Главком: A massive attack on January 24, 2026, disabled the TEC-6 power plant, triggering a severe utility crisis for Kyiv's Desnianskyi district, including the Troieshchyna area. Approximately 600 apartment buildings were left without electricity, water, and heating. In response, Maksym Bakhmatov, head of the Desnianskyi District State Administration, announced plans to install outdoor pit latrines in residential courtyards, a move that has drawn criticism from both journalists and local residents. This situation highlights the severe vulnerability of urban infrastructure during wartime.

Criticism and Proposed Alternatives

Investigative journalist Yurii Nikolov commented that the risks to this infrastructure were known as far back as 2022 and have only worsened each year. He stressed that the degradation had become obvious even to a non-expert.

"The state of the infrastructure had deteriorated to a point where even a non-expert could see it." - Yurii Nikolov

Separate criticism came from Taras Lohiniv, former commander of the Rapid Response Unit of the Ukrainian Red Cross Society's National Committee. He argued that the authorities' focus should be on better-organized aid overall, not just on toilets. He suggested alternative solutions could include:

• deploying portable blue-cabin toilets with appropriate chemical reagents,
• instead of digging pit latrines, which create additional difficulties.

Meanwhile, city authorities are setting up round-the-clock heating points for residents left without heat. On social media, many have noted a stark shift in the city's priorities: while in October 2025, Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klychko planned to take a 7.5 billion UAH loan to build a metro line to Vynohradar, the current discussion is centered on constructing pit latrines.

The aftermath of the January 24th attack demands an urgent response and a re-evaluation of how critical utility infrastructure is managed. Effective solutions are needed to provide residents with essential services during this emergency. The severity of the problem underscores the necessity for not only immediate action but also long-term strategic planning to prevent similar crises in the future.