Kyiv residents are seeking warmth in municipal "invincibility points," heated train carriages and street tents after repeated Russian strikes on energy infrastructure left many without heat during a severe cold snap. More than 1,000 people have been hospitalized with frostbite or hypothermia since late December, and over 500,000 residents have left the capital following evacuation appeals. Animal shelters are improvising to save evacuated pets, and UN officials warn civilians are bearing the heaviest toll.
Freezing Kyiv: Residents Flee To Heated Trains, Street Tents As Power Cuts Bite
Ukraine has called Russian attacks on heating infrastructure 'energy terrorism' (OLEKSII FILIPPOV)(OLEKSII FILIPPOV/AFP/AFP)
Residents of Ukraine's capital, Kyiv, have scrambled to find warmth this week after repeated Russian strikes on energy infrastructure left many homes without reliable heating during an intense cold snap.
Elderly people have been sheltering in heated railway carriages, families from unheated apartment blocks have gathered for hot meals in municipal tents on the streets, and animal shelters have improvised to keep evacuated cats alive.
Emergency Hubs And Trains Offer Lifelines
Municipal authorities have set up so-called "invincibility points"—public hubs that supply power, hot food and heating—while some railway carriages have been converted into warming centers. According to staff, these carriages offer tea, hot drinks, free snacks, charging stations, microwaves and satellite internet, with staff keeping coal-fired heaters running around the clock to support up to 100 visitors a day.
"The power in our building mostly comes on at night since the last massive strike," said 30-year-old lawyer Daria Grechanova, speaking at a heated tent. "Our building has electric heating. It's extremely cold there, 5-7C, and living like that with a small child isn't normal."
Health And Humanitarian Impact
Health authorities report that more than 1,000 Ukrainians have been hospitalized with frostbite or hypothermia since late December. Kyiv officials warn the situation could worsen if the cold snap persists and attacks on energy systems continue to strain the city's defenses and infrastructure.
Earlier this month, Kyiv's mayor Vitali Klitschko appealed for voluntary evacuations; he told AFP that more than half a million people have left the capital since that appeal.
Animals And Aid
Animal shelters have also felt the strain. At Kyiv's Hatul Madan shelter, volunteers use warm water bottles and USB-powered heat pads to keep evacuated cats from freezing, saying improvised measures still offer more warmth than the outdoors.
Wider Context
Russia, which launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, says its strikes target energy infrastructure that supports Ukraine's "military-industrial complex." Kyiv and international observers say the attacks disproportionately harm civilians. UN human rights chief Volker Turk has urged Russia to stop, saying civilians are bearing the brunt and accusing Moscow of breaching the rules of warfare.
Note: All facts and quotes in this report are drawn from local authorities and AFP reporting.
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