In Kyiv, hundreds of residents from the Teremky neighborhood took to the streets to protest for the completion of a heating pipeline essential for their homes. Residents are urging political leaders and environmental activists to cease blocking the construction of this vital infrastructure, which is intended to provide emergency heating services.
The demonstration saw opposition from activists and masked individuals, many of whom reportedly traveled from other areas of the city and region where heating issues are not as severe as in Teremky.
Last winter, following damage to the TETS-5 heat plant, temperatures in many Teremky homes dropped to a chilling +4°C, with some experiencing frozen water pipes. This dire situation forced residents, particularly the elderly and those with disabilities, to rely on outdoor bio-toilets.
“What is more valuable: life or a tree? I believe a person’s life is worth more than a tree. A tree can grow back, but a frozen person can never be revived,” stated 92-year-old Volodymyr Stepanovych, who endured a heatless winter in his apartment.
If the construction of the heating pipeline continues to be obstructed, over 200,000 residents in the Holosiivskyi district of Kyiv face the risk of severe cold, affecting 183 residential buildings, three hospitals, and about 20 schools and kindergartens.
