Kyiv scrambles to repair ruined power grid after Russian attack

Kyiv's water and heating systems were restored after being temporarily shut down due to the intense cold, as engineers worked to stabilise the power grid, which had been pushed to the brink by a series of Russian strikes, including one two nights ago.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, it has frequently targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leading to prolonged daily blackouts in major cities.

In recent weeks, the heating and water systems have been particularly affected, becoming an increasing concern as temperatures have already dropped below minus 10°C (14°F) and are expected to fall further in the coming week.

Around midday local time (10:00 GMT) on Saturday, the city administration announced that Ukrenergo, the national grid operator, had ordered a shutdown of Kyiv's power system, which also led to the suspension of water, heating, and electrified public transport.

Less than an hour later, Ukrenergo reported that engineers had resolved the immediate issue caused by previous Russian strikes, and that power was being restored to parts of Kyiv.

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed that the centralised heating system, which supplies hot water to homes through pipes, was also coming back online, and she expected full restoration by Saturday.

However, she warned that the power situation in the capital remained challenging, as the grid had been severely damaged and residents were relying more on electric heaters due to the cold.

On Friday, around 6,000 apartment blocks in Kyiv were left without heating following the latest Russian missile and drone attack, coinciding with a sharp drop in temperatures.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko stated that half of those blocks had their heating restored by Saturday, but it was shut off again due to the ongoing power grid issues.

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