Russian strikes have left large parts of Kyiv without heat and power as temperatures fall to around −10°C, killing at least four people. Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko urged temporary evacuations while many residents, like Natalia, refuse to leave. Emergency tents provide warmth, food and charging points, and community solidarity helps people endure prolonged outages. Sunday marked the 1,418th day of the war, matching the duration of the USSR's fight in World War II.
Kyiv Faces Freezing Nights After Strikes — Residents Hold Firm Amid Power Cuts
Ukrainians are enduring another gruelling winter of heat and electricity cuts (Andrew Kravchenko)(Andrew Kravchenko/AFP/AFP)
Facing sub-zero nights after heavy Russian strikes severed heating and power across the city, residents of Kyiv are relying on emergency tents, neighbourly solidarity and stubborn resilience to get through another harsh winter.
Large strikes on Friday killed at least four people and initially left roughly half of the capital’s residential buildings without heating as temperatures hovered around −10°C and were forecast to fall further. Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko described the situation as "very difficult" and urged residents to consider temporary evacuation where possible.
Natalia, a 45-year-old manager who says she has not left Kyiv since Russia's February 2022 invasion, told AFP she would remain despite the hardships. "I haven't left Kyiv a single second since the full-scale invasion," she said. "What did we do then? We made Molotov cocktails. I won't leave... I have my house here, I have my job and I love my city."
"We've had no electricity, heat or water for the past 42 hours," she said. "But we're surviving, as you can see."
Klitschko reported on Sunday morning that about 1,000 buildings still lacked heating, down from an initial count of 6,000 after the strikes. Many households in Kyiv rely primarily on electric heating, and Ukraine's power grid has been repeatedly damaged by Russian attacks since the start of the war.
Emergency Tents Offer Immediate Relief
In the Desnyansky district, municipal emergency services set up tents where residents can warm up, eat, connect to the internet and charge devices. Olena, a 50-year-old English teacher, said she was forcing herself to stay optimistic.
"The tents and neighbours looking out for one another help a lot," she said. "We support each other, dress warm, smile and wait." She added that a scarf belonging to her grandmother, a World War II survivor, brings comfort and a sense of continuity: "You put it on and you remember all that our people have endured. We will endure, too. We can't give up."
Historical Echoes
Sunday marked the 1,418th day of Russia's war on Ukraine — a duration that equals the length of what is locally called the "Great Patriotic War," when the Soviet Union fought Nazi Germany from 1941 to 1945. The comparison underlines the depth of trauma and resilience on display as civilians endure prolonged outages and the risks of further strikes.
Authorities continue emergency repairs and efforts to restore power and heating, but officials warn that more disruptions are possible while the grid remains a target. For many Kyiv residents, short-term shelters, mutual aid and acts of everyday defiance are keeping the city going through another bitter winter.
Help us improve.
