Russian strikes have turned winter in Kyiv into a direct threat to everyday life

How the Ukrainian capital survives severe frosts. Photo gallery

Against the background of abnormal frosts, when the thermometer drops below –18°C, the Ukrainian capital is struggling with the consequences of large-scale damage to the energy infrastructure. More than a million residents of the capital remain without electricity, thousands of apartment buildings are without heating. Rescuers are deploying “islands of heat”, trying to soften the harshest winter of the war for the townspeople. How Kyiv survives the winter without heat and light - in the “New Europe” photo gallery.

On the evening of January 20, Vladimir Zelensky, following the results of the energy selector, called the situation in Kiev the most difficult : more than 1 million consumers without electricity, more than 4,000 apartment buildings without heating. Ukrainian information resources also reported an estimate that almost 60% of the city remains without power supply as of the morning of January 21, 2026.

Against this background, rescuers are deploying “islands of heat”: the Kiev Department of the DSNS reports the operation of mobile anti-violence points, where you can come to warm up and recharge your devices. And the frosts continue to persist: international agencies record a drop in temperature in Kiev to approximately −18°C, which makes the lack of heat and light especially noticeable .