Ukrainians endure freezing winter as Russian strikes cut heat in Kyiv
On Friday, heavy bombardments killed at least four people and left half of the city’s residential buildings without heating. With temperatures hovering around –10°C and expected to fall further, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko described the situation as “very difficult” and urged residents to consider temporary evacuation.
Despite the hardships, many Ukrainians remain determined to stay. Natalia, a 45 year old manager, recalled making Molotov cocktails to defend her city in the early days of Russia’s full scale invasion in February 2022. She told AFP, “I haven’t left Kyiv a single second since the invasion… I have my house here, I have my job and I love my city.” She added that her home has been without electricity, heat, or water for more than 42 hours, but insisted, “We’re surviving, as you can see.”
Klitschko said on Sunday that 1,000 buildings were still without heat, down from 6,000 immediately after the strikes. Much of Kyiv’s heating relies on electricity, and the national grid has been repeatedly battered throughout the war.
In the Desnyansky district, emergency tents provide warmth, food, internet access, and charging stations. Olena, a 50 year old teacher, said she relies on optimism and solidarity to endure. She wears a scarf once owned by her grandmother, a World War II survivor, as a reminder of resilience. “We support each other, dress warm, smile and wait… We will endure, too. We can’t give up,” she said.
Sunday marked the 1,418th day of Russia’s war on Ukraine—equal to the length of the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany during World War II, known locally as the “Great Patriotic War.”
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