Klitschko Warns Kyiv ‘On the Brink of Catastrophe’ After Months of Russian Strikes

Kyiv is on the brink of catastrophe after two months of intensified Russian air strikes targeting critical infrastructure, Mayor Vitali Klitschko has warned.

In an interview published on Monday, Feb. 16, the Financial Times reported that Klitschko said relentless missile and drone attacks have brought the capital close to collapse, leaving residents facing power, heating and water disruptions during one of the harshest winters since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.

“Right now, the question of the future of our country – whether we will survive as an independent country or not – is still open,” Klitschko told the FT.

Energy infrastructure under sustained attack

According to the report, Russian forces have targeted Kyiv’s three main power plants as well as other energy facilities nationwide. At one point earlier this year, about half of the capital’s 12,000 apartment buildings were left without heating. While most heating has since been restored, approximately 1,200 buildings remained disconnected earlier this week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Temperatures in Kyiv have dropped below -20°C (-4°F), compounding the strain on the city’s 3.5 million residents. Klitschko said utility and emergency workers are engaged in constant repairs as repeated strikes knock out restored systems.

Ukraine continues to face a nationwide electricity deficit despite ongoing repair efforts. European partners have supplied generators and humanitarian assistance, and local authorities have established about 1,500 “invincibility centers” where residents can access heat, food and internet connectivity.

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Political tensions amid crisis

The interview also highlighted renewed tensions between Klitschko and Zelensky, with the mayor accusing the president of political interference in local governance, while Zelensky has criticized Kyiv authorities for insufficient winter preparedness.

Klitschko said internal unity remains essential as Ukraine faces continued Russian aggression. “Right now unity inside the country is the key for our peace and freedom,” he told the FT.