Due to Russia's aggressive actions and worsening weather conditions, a state of emergency is being introduced in Ukraine's energy sector. This was announced by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Telegram on January 14.
“Strikes from Russia and difficult weather conditions are leading to severe consequences. Repair crews and utility services continue to work around the clock to restore electricity and heating,” he reported following a meeting dedicated to emergencies in the energy sector.
Zelensky also ordered an increase in electricity imports from foreign countries and a review of curfew regulations. He noted that under the state of emergency, authorities in some cities may cancel the curfew.
The president criticized the Kyiv authorities for their inadequate preparedness for power outages. “We specifically examined the situation in our cities, and in Kyiv, it is particularly difficult. <…> Very little has been done in the capital. I do not see the necessary intensity of work — this needs to be urgently corrected,” Zelensky emphasized.
In response, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko accused Zelensky and his supporters of “unfounded criticism.”
“What specific ‘intensity’ of work in Kyiv has the president not noticed lately?” Klitschko questioned.
He noted that his recent advice to leave Kyiv to avoid the cold, for which he was criticized by pro-presidential sources, was “an attempt to honestly warn about the difficult situation.”
“Instead, I face unfounded criticism. I am warning people about the difficult situation and am not concerned about political ratings,” the mayor added.
“I am responding to you publicly because in four years, we, Mr. President, have not met even once,” Klitschko emphasized.
Earlier, on January 14, Klitschko reported on Telegram that there is “a very difficult situation” in Kyiv: “Problems of this scale are arising for the first time in 4 years of war.”
According to him, about 400 apartment buildings in Kyiv remain without heating. Authorities plan to restore heating in some of these buildings by the evening of January 14. After the Russian strike on the capital on January 9, 6000 homes lost heating.
“The heating situation on the right bank has become more stable, while on the left bank it remains difficult,” Klitschko noted. He also added that there are currently no hourly electricity outage schedules in Kyiv — the city is under emergency outage regimes.
