Kyiv’s mayor has advised residents to evacuate the Ukrainian capital as Russian attacks have caused widespread power outages and heating disruptions in half of the city. Mayor Vitali Klitschko communicated via Facebook on Friday about the severe energy crisis in Kyiv, emphasizing that the situation could worsen further. Approximately 1,940 residential buildings are still without heating following the recent Russian air strikes that hit the city overnight on Tuesday. Initially, the attacks left around 5,635 buildings without heating, as stated by Klitschko. As of Wednesday, nearly 4,000 structures, including key landmarks like the parliament, were left without electricity or heat, according to Volodymyr Zelensky.
In his recent update, Klitschko encouraged residents to prepare essential supplies and urged those able to relocate to areas with alternative power and heating sources to consider doing so. He mentioned the establishment of emergency centers across the city to accommodate large numbers of people overnight, offering sleeping arrangements, heating provisions, food, and hygiene essentials if required.
The latest assault occurred shortly after heating had been restored in most affected buildings following previous Russian strikes on January 9. Tragically, four individuals lost their lives, and 25 others sustained injuries in Kyiv due to the onslaught of 242 drones and 36 missiles launched by Russia overnight, as reported by Ukrainian authorities.
“By last night [Monday], 16 out of the 6,000 buildings were still without heating due to infrastructure damage caused by the enemy on January 9,” Klitschko shared on Telegram on Tuesday.
Moscow has escalated attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during one of the coldest winters in recent memory, with temperatures hovering around -10C.
Concurrently, President Zelensky expressed hope for progress in the trilateral discussions held in the United Arab Emirates today, aimed at potentially ending the ongoing conflict. He highlighted the significance of addressing the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine during the peace talks involving Ukraine, Russia, and the US in Abu Dhabi.
Zelensky’s optimism stems from recent engagements, including a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and US special envoys in Moscow, followed by his own interaction with former US President Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. While Zelensky described the meeting with Trump as positive, Trump acknowledged progress but noted there is still work to be done.
