You're reading: Health Ministry: 27 people froze to death in Ukraine due to current cold wave

The number of those who have frozen to death in Ukraine due the current cold wave has risen to 27 as of noon on Dec. 21, the Ukrainian Health Ministry's press service told Interfax-Ukraine. The country has been suffering for 5 days under Siberian winds, heavy snowfall, and daytime temperatures as low as minus 20 C.

Eleven people froze to death in Donetsk region, three each in Luhansk and Volyn regions, two each in Sumy, Kherson and Cherkasy regions, and one each in Ivano-Frankivsk, Kirovohrad, Rivne and Chernivtsi regions. Seven of them died at home in Donetsk region and one in Ivano-Frankivsk region.

A total of 671 people asked for medical aid due to frostbite, and 465 of them have been hospitalized. Temperatures in most of Ukraine are expected to moderate by Wednesday.