Former MP and energy activist Wiktoria Wójcicka said utility companies drain water from central heating systems to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting as temperatures drop.
This action is a direct consequence of Russian attacks on heat-generating facilities in Kiev. Wójcicka warned that without draining the system, the entire central heating infrastructure may be destroyed. However, this is only the beginning of the problems of the Ukrainian capital.
Emergency power outages ordered by Ukrenergo, the energy network operator, caused temporary interruptions in the supply of heat, water and electrical transport in Kiev. The authorities report that electricity supplies are gradually being restored.
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According to a statement published on Telegram, at the request of Ukrenergo, schedules for emergency interruptions in electricity supplies have been introduced throughout the city. As a result, disruptions to communication systems were also reported. Energy sector workers immediately began repair work.
The city company Kievpastrans reported that public transport on the left and right banks of the capital was temporarily suspended due to the instability of the energy system. To compensate for this situation, replacement bus lines were launched.
Earlier on Saturday, officials announced that heat supplies had been restored to approximately 4,000 residential buildings and repair works were underway. Later, the head of the Kyiv City Military Administration (KMVA), Timur Tkachenko, announced that electricity supplies were gradually being restored after technical problems in one of the segments of the power grid.
According to Tkachenko, the problem has already been solved by specialists, which allowed the city to lift emergency power outages and return to the schedule of planned power outages. However, restrictions will remain in areas where recovery from Russian attacks is still ongoing.
“Restarting damaged thermal power plants will be difficult”
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced that heating had been restored to half of the houses that were left without heating after Russian shelling within 24 hours.
“Due to the overload of the energy system, Ukrenergo has introduced emergency interruptions in electricity supply in the city. Currently, the operation of water supply, heating and electric transport systems is temporarily suspended,” Klitschko said.
He also called on Kyiv residents who still have access to electricity to use it sparingly. “Do not turn on electrical devices with high energy consumption. In order not to overload the system, so that all city residents have light, and therefore heating and water,” Klitschko added.
City services in Kiev have started preparing residential buildings with central heating for a potentially long-term supply outage, as it could take several days to repair heating infrastructure damaged by Russia's latest attacks.
A brick building in Kiev destroyed by a Russian attack, January 9, 2026.Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images / Contributor / Getty Images
Maintenance offices of residential buildings and heads of housing communities, especially on the left bank of Kiev, confirmed that water is being drained from buildings due to uncertainty as to when heating will be restored.
The head of one construction commission said utility companies had not been informed of the extent of the damage or a repair schedule.
Former Housing Minister Oleksiy Kuchenko also confirmed the heating was turned off, but said a decision to restore it could be made within hours, urging residents to remain calm.
Energy experts warned that restarting damaged thermal power plants, including CHP-5 and CHP-6, would be difficult if temperatures remained below freezing, even if there were no further attacks.
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