Emergency forces in Kiev are making efforts to restore electricity and heat people after more than 3 days of suffering Russian attacks on energy targets.
Officials said that hundreds of apartment buildings in the capital have not been heated, even though repair teams work day and night. Humanitarian centers called "permanent shelters" open for people to take shelter and charge electronic devices.
Russia has systematically attacked Ukraine's energy network since launching the military campaign, with increasing intensity of airstrikes in recent months. Faced with this situation, President Zelensky in a video speech at night warned of the risk of new attacks from the air.
Mr. Zelensky said that intelligence information shows that Russia is preparing a large-scale attack, combining unmanned aerial vehicles to erode air defense systems and missiles to take advantage of the cold weather. He called on people to pay attention to air strike warnings, ensuring personal safety in the context of night temperatures dropping to minus 15 degrees Celsius or lower.
Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram that about 90% of apartment buildings in Kiev have been restored to heating, and less than 500 apartments are still waiting to be connected. Mayor Vitali Klitschko gave the figure of about 800 unheated units, mainly on the west bank of the Dnipro River, and said that the Kiev city council will meet to discuss urgent issues of the people.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko announced a salary increase and support program for emergency task forces, emphasizing that their work takes place in harsh conditions, approaching human endurance limits and potential risks to life across the country. She affirmed that experts are still directly on the scene of being attacked in the cold to restore heat, electricity, water and gas.
