Kyiv was plunged into darkness, cold, and running-water shortages early Tuesday after a massive Russian drone and missile attack crippled energy infrastructure across Ukraine.
According to Ukraine’s newly-appointed energy minister, Denys Shmyhal, not a single power plant was spared from Russian attacks over the past four years of war.
In the early hours of Tuesday, hundreds of Russian drones and missiles tore through the night sky, striking energy facilities across Ukraine. First came the whistle as they passed, then a flash, followed by thunderous explosions that echoed moments later, depending on their proximity.
The attack followed a similar one just a week prior. But Oles, a 30-year-old Kyiv resident and architect, said it is worse this time.
“Today the situation is worse than it has been for me over the past couple of weeks. After the overnight strike, my apartment was cut off from all utilities – water, heating, and electricity,” he told Kyiv Post.
“After previous strikes, we still had water and heating, but this time we have nothing.”
Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said Tuesday’s attack knocked out heating once again – just after authorities had restored it in most homes from an earlier attack.
M., a 25-year-old academic researcher, told Kyiv Post she had no heating, power, or water after she woke up on Tuesday.
“We didn’t have power for over 17 hours. Even the cat got cold – we have 13°C [55°F] in the apartment,” she said.
The crisis has prompted President Volodymyr Zelensky to stay in Kyiv – potentially missing the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he aims to secure aid for Ukraine’s recovery.
The toilet dilemma
Amid the crisis, most residents in Kyiv faced a common yet mundane dilemma: They couldn’t flush the toilet because water pumps had been shut off.
“I honestly don’t know how to cope when you can’t even use the toilet at home or keep your child warm. My daughter is three years old,” Oles said. “I hope the electricians fix the problem soon.”
Not having running water also creates other issues.
“We also cannot flush the toilet. We also cannot put warm water in water bottles to warm ourselves because we have no water,” M. said. “At this point, I think it’s more convenient to live in the village where you have toilets outside of the house, and you don’t have to flush it.”
Kateryna, a 33-year-old data scientist, was a bit luckier in that regard as power returned briefly.
“By morning, there was no hope that the electricity would be back – and that’s exactly what happened: I woke up in an apartment with no power, heating, or water,” she told Kyiv Post.
“Later, the electricity was turned on for a few hours, and a bit of cold water became available – enough to flush the toilet.”
Being able to flush the toilet feels like a luxury, she said.
The luckier few
Liubov, a 35-year-old English teacher, is luckier than some as her building comes equipped with backup generators – but even with backup power, not everything is guaranteed.
“It’s currently turned off,” she told Kyiv Post. “There is no electricity. The radiators are not completely cold – they are at room temperature. Inside the apartment, it is currently about 15-16°C [59-61°F]. Cold water – and even hot water – is available, because the building generator is operating,” she added.
“Elevators, of course, are not working.”
Community-organized backup power has become increasingly common since Russia’s 2022 invasion – especially after the 2024 summer blackout. A recent Kyiv Post report highlighted a modernization project in a Soviet-era apartment building, where solar panels and backup batteries, co-funded by residents and the government, have helped keep the building warm.
And the sense of community prevails during the crisis, said Kateryna, saying that everyone is dealing with the same situation.
“There was shelling during the night, as usual. We chatted a bit with friends and colleagues in group chats to check on each other’s situations and make sure everyone was safe,” she said.
Connection, however, has its limits in a blackout.
“We cannot even go to friends or relatives because they have the same situation,” M. said.