Zelenskyy says air defence repairs underway as Kyiv faces power shortages after Russian strikes

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said air defence systems are being restructured and repaired as Russia’s latest attacks on energy infrastructure left parts of the country, including Kyiv, facing electricity and heating shortages during freezing winter conditions.

Speaking on Tuesday (10 February), Zelenskyy said Ukraine’s military leadership had held extensive discussions on adapting air defence operations, including the work of interceptor units, mobile fire groups and regional defence teams.

“Many changes are happening right now in the work of air defence,” Zelenskyy said, noting that systems in several regions are being “practically completely rebuilt” as part of broader defensive adjustments.

The president said the most severe electricity shortages were recorded in the Kharkiv, Poltava and Sumy regions, while parts of southern Odesa region were also struggling, particularly areas reliant on electric heating.

“One of the most problematic situations remains in the capital,” Zelenskyy said, adding that a significant number of buildings in Kyiv remain without heat.

He said local and regional authorities, along with central government officials, have the resources needed to assist residents, stressing that support must be felt “in every community.” Zelenskyy urged officials to ensure that all buildings without heating have sufficient access to electricity, calling it a “fundamental issue.”

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The president also warned that delays caused by incomplete reporting were worsening the situation in some cities, including Kyiv, Okhtyrka and Kryvyi Rih, and said accountability would be personal for officials who fail to respond adequately.

Russian forces struck energy facilities in Ukraine’s Odesa region overnight, leaving more than 95,000 people without power in the southern part of the region, according to local officials.

Moscow has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s heat and power infrastructure, arguing such facilities support Kyiv’s war effort. Ukraine says the strikes are aimed at civilians and are intended to weaken public morale during one of the coldest winters in years.

Emergency crews and energy workers continue efforts to stabilise the system, while authorities have urged residents to limit electricity use as repairs continue.

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