Attacks continued – No electricity, no heating: “Kiev city is emptying”

In their dark and unheated apartments, with temperatures still slightly above freezing, the residents of Kiev got a taste of what awaits them and millions of other Ukrainians over the next three winter months. Even before the most recent attacks, Mayor Vitali Klitschko was vowing his battered city to its “worst winter” since 1945, since World War II.

15 out of 24 Ukrainian regions in a similar situation
Half the city of Kiev was without electricity on Friday morning, according to the UN Emergency Relief Agency (OCHA). Because water pressure is low, many have been without water, especially on the top floors of residential buildings, an OCHA spokesperson in Geneva said. In total, 15 of the 24 Ukrainian regions are in a similar situation. Since the start of Russia’s offensive war against the neighboring country in February, a total of nearly 400 generators have been delivered, mainly to supply hospitals and schools. Thousands more will be deployed in the coming weeks.

Chaotic condition in hospitals
According to media reports, a nurse in an operating room at the Heart Institute in the Ukrainian capital held a rechargeable light over a patient’s open heart. A colleague with a headlamp handed over cotton swabs and instruments to the doctors. A heart monitor beeped in the background. “This is how we operate on the heart today,” said the country’s best-known heart surgeon, Borys Todurov. And added: “Rejoice Russians, today a child was on the operating table and the power went out completely. beautiful guys. Very humanitarian people.”

Klitschko: “Water supply restored”
But despite the worries and chaotic circumstances, Klitschko reported the first success on Friday afternoon – almost 24 hours after the Russian attacks. “Water supply has been restored in all parts of the city,” the 51-year-old writes on Telegram. However, there is still not enough water pressure everywhere. And indeed: in the inner city, the first trickle and rattling of the tap only gradually changed into a normal jet of water.

slogans of perseverance
The problem with the power supply turns out to be more persistent. In parts of the city without electricity where there are metro stations, residents go to the stations to get information from the mobile internet that works there. In other districts, people in the dark high-rise canyons cheer each other on with loud shouts. Curses from Russian President Vladimir Putin make it clear that the blackout will not affect the country’s will to press ahead.

Panic buying, queues at gas stations
For the time being, however, Ukrainians accustomed to the crisis took the situation with equanimity, although there were panic buying in some parts of the city and queues formed at gas stations equipped with electricity generators. People of all ages stoically lined up at the capital’s fountains with water containers and buckets. While waiting, children played with empty five-gallon plastic containers, while the adults sometimes gathered in small groups to talk.

During a visit to Kiev, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly promised Ukraine ambulances and other practical assistance. “As winter sets in, Russia is trying to break Ukrainian resolve with brutal attacks on civilians, hospitals and energy infrastructure,” the conservative politician said in Kiev on Friday, according to the British PA news agency. “Russia will fail.”

Cleverly met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kiev. He then shared a photo of the meeting on Twitter. “Britain supports you in action – not just words,” he wrote to the president. In concrete terms, the minister promised 24 ambulances and six armored cars. In addition, London wants to support the construction of destroyed schools and shelters and other programs with three million pounds (about 3.5 million euros).