As of 6 November, 55% of residential high-rise buildings in Kyiv and more than 78% of social institutions have been connected to heating. The centralised heat supply system was fully prepared for the heating season, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said at a briefing.
Other projects under the Resilience Plan are under way, he said. Klitschko added that the enemy continues to attack Ukraine’s unified power system and, over the past few days, struck facilities in Kyiv’s regional energy hub.
“That is why the capital’s power supply situation is so extremely difficult. Ukrenergo periodically introduces emergency power cuts, which, of course, affects the operation of water supply systems. Energy workers are working day and night to restore electricity, and municipal services are working to restore services. I thank everyone who is working tirelessly to ensure Kyiv residents have the essential services,” the mayor said.
The city is working through various scenarios, as the enemy is intensifying attacks on the energy sector, heat generation and water supply, Vitali Klitschko added.
This year, the city is expanding the capacity of temporary accommodation for Kyiv residents in the event of a critical heating situation. One hundred places have been prepared for families, and the same number will be set up in a separate building for older people and people with disabilities. Everyone will be provided with food and basic necessities in the event of prolonged power outages.
“Those who are talking today about some kind of cabinets, corridors to help Kyiv — that comes after they cynically refused to approve the capital’s Resilience Plan for almost half a year and spun various stories. I would note that since spring we have had an energy task force working to ensure the city’s vital functions. The capital has brought in experts, energy specialists, practitioners and scientists,” the mayor said.
According to him, all experts agree that with such an intensity of enemy strikes, without air defence protection for key facilities, restoration, stable operation and indeed the very existence of these facilities are in question.
Context
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about creating a cabinet to help Kyiv. He said he instructed the prime minister to gather managers and strong people. The president wanted to bring into this group former SBU head Vasyl Maliuk, former minister Oleksandr Kubrakov, former prime minister Volodymyr Hroisman and former Zhytomyr mayor Vasyl Sukhmlyn. Zelenskyy said the mayor views any attempts to find advisers for Kyiv’s authorities as attempts to replace him.
The central government has repeatedly criticised Kyiv’s city authorities over the pace of implementing the Resilience Plan and preparations for winter. In particular, today Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the worst power supply situation is precisely in Kyiv, and the reason for this is the city authorities’ failure to implement decisions.