Kyiv’s Mayor Vitali Klitschko has predicted an ‘apocalypse’ scenario this winter in light of continued Russian air strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. But he added that there was no need for evacuation right now, though the residents should be ready for it.
“Kyiv might lose power, water, and heat supply. The apocalypse might happen, like in Hollywood films, when it’s not possible to live in homes considering the low temperature,” Mayor Vitali Klitschko told Reuters in an interview.
“But we are fighting and doing everything we can to make sure that this does not happen,” the former boxer went on to say, raising his booming voice to drive the point home.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February this year. After sustained gains in the early months of the conflict, the Russian forces had to withdraw from large swathes of land in the face of Ukrainian counteroffensive.
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Russia has since then launched missile and air attacks on Ukraine’s energy and other infrastructure.
The current situation in Ukraine’s capital is grim. Kyiv lacks enough heated shelters to take in all 3.6 million residents in the event of complete outages.
“We have prepared nearly 500 autonomous heating hubs at present… but for a city of 3 million, 500 points is nothing,” he said.
Klitschko, a former world heavyweight boxing champion before entering politics, painted a picture of a harsh future ahead for Ukraine’s more than 1,500-year-old capital.
He sketched out one possible scenario in which the city could be left without central heating until spring at a time when temperatures can fall as low as -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit).
“If electricity supply continues to be absent while outside temperatures remain low, we will unfortunately be forced to drain water from buildings,” he said.
“Otherwise the water can freeze and break the entire water supply network, and buildings will then be totally unfit for further use.”
Klitschko urged residents to prepare emergency supplies of food and water, as well as to have clothes and documents ready for a quick departure if the heating supply is turned off.
(With inputs from agencies)
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