Kyiv goes dark: How city survives amid power collapse, closed stores and stopped transport

Key points:

• Following today's attack, 500 apartment buildings were left without heating once again.
• In some districts, apartment blocks are being connected to generators.
• Emergency power outages are in effect citywide; scheduled blackout timetables are not working.
• In some districts, electricity may be out until the end of the day.
• Mayor Vitalii Klitschko says there is an electricity shortage even for critical infrastructure.
• Residents on the upper floors of high-rise buildings may experience water supply disruptions.
• Electric public transport is temporarily suspended; backup bus routes have been launched.
• There is no mass closure of supermarkets, but some stores warn of local and temporary restrictions.
• The Cabinet of Ministers is in contact with supermarket chains to ensure food supplies.
• 1,269 points of invincibility are operating in Kyiv, some around the clock.

Heating

Following the massive strike on Kyiv on January 9, 20% of buildings in the Pecherskyi district are still without heating, Kateryna Pop, spokesperson for the Kyiv City Military Administration, said today during the national telethon.

She noted that this figure is decreasing every day, although just yesterday it was nearly twice as high.

Problems have also persisted since January 9 in the Dniprovskyi and Sviatoshynskyi districts, where about 15% of buildings remain without heating.

According to the spokesperson, the situation on Kyiv's Left Bank is gradually stabilizing. However, due to emergency power outages, pumps in some buildings cannot fully ensure water supply and heat delivery to certain floors.

Heating issues were further aggravated by today's enemy attack, which left 500 apartment buildings without heat, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said.

According to Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, in Kyiv districts facing the most severe power supply problems, residential buildings have been connected to high-capacity generators. These generators also reduce the load on the grid and help sustain entire neighborhoods.

A total of 1,269 points of invincibility are currently operating in the capital, some of them 24/7.

Power supply

Emergency power outages have been in effect across Kyiv since early morning. This means that scheduled blackout timetables are currently not operating.

According to information published on the major energy company DTEK's website, some districts and neighborhoods of Kyiv may remain without electricity until the end of the day.

At the same time, the Ministry of Energy explains that the duration of outages in the capital and the surrounding region is affected by ongoing shelling and a sharp drop in temperatures.

"After today's attack, there is now an even greater electricity shortage in the capital — even to supply critical infrastructure. Energy workers are doing everything they can, but the situation is extremely difficult," Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.

Water supply

Kyivvodokanal, a water supply company, has reminded residents of high-rise buildings that water is supplied to upper floors via booster pumps, which do not operate in the absence of electricity.

As a result, residents on upper floors may experience water outages even if water service has already been restored in their area.

Transport

Due to power supply problems following Russian strikes, public electric transport has been temporarily suspended.

To compensate, the city has launched replacement bus routes on some lines.

Supermarkets and stores

Information has been circulating on social media claiming that a number of supermarkets have allegedly suspended operations due to low temperatures and prolonged power outages.

However, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has denied these reports. "I want to emphasize that information about the alleged closure of major supermarket chains is not true," he said.

Retailers themselves have also refuted claims about widespread closures.

ATB says it is operating as usual, using generators, and calls the reports fake. Novus warns that some stores may face changes in operations due to outages, while Silpo acknowledges that a small number of supermarkets may close temporarily if generators fail — but only for short periods.

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the Cabinet of Ministers is in constant contact with retail chains.

"The situation with food supplies is under control. I have instructed the Minister of Economy to personally oversee the issue and respond to requests from retail networks,” she wrote.

Russian strikes on energy infrastructure amid severe frost

Following a massive overnight attack on Kyiv on January 9, energy workers and municipal services have been working around the clock for five consecutive days to gradually restore heating and electricity to residential houses. Social media users report that some residents have been without heating, water, and power for just as long.

After another overnight Russian attack today, the situation has worsened. In particular, electricity supply problems throughout the capital have intensified.

In this context, Mayor Vitali Klitschko urged Kyiv residents, where possible, to temporarily leave the city.

"I am appealing to residents of the capital who have the opportunity to temporarily leave the city for places with alternative sources of power and heating to do so," Klitschko said in a statement.

According to weather forecasters, severe frost in the capital, as well as across Ukraine, is going to continue. Overnight temperatures in Kyiv are forecast to drop to minus 15–17°C (5–1°F), while daytime temperatures will range between minus 10–12°C (14–10°F).

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned that Russia is preparing another strike, attempting to "win the war with cold."

Sources: statements from the Kyiv City Military Administration, Kyivpastrans, the Cabinet of Ministers, Kyivvodokanal, and other official sources.