Kyiv: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has called for accelerated action to strengthen the country’s air defenses and repair critical electricity and heating infrastructure, following a recent wave of Russian missile and drone attacks that left hundreds of apartment buildings without power or heat.
In his nightly video address on Friday, Zelenskiy stressed that “every day matters” in restoring essential services to citizens enduring repeated night-time strikes. He urged authorities to implement decisions immediately, emphasizing that delays in repair work or supplying equipment could exacerbate suffering during the harsh winter. Temperatures in Kyiv, while slightly eased, are still expected to reach -8 degrees Celsius (18 Fahrenheit), leaving residents particularly vulnerable.
Over the past month, Russian drones and missiles have eluded Ukraine’s air defense systems, striking critical infrastructure and intensifying the humanitarian strain. Zelenskiy noted that while some regions have better-prepared defense lines, others require significant improvements. He announced personnel changes within the Air Force in areas where air defense performance had been unsatisfactory and called for greater efficiency in countering drone attacks.
Ukraine has developed a domestic drone industry since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. A focus on interceptor drones has provided an innovative and cost-effective method to respond to waves of attacks, but Zelenskiy emphasized that even faster action is needed to protect civilians.
The President highlighted the urgent need to restore electricity and heating to thousands of residents. In Kyiv alone, over 1,110 apartment blocks remained without heat after the latest assault. Zelenskiy said that resources were being redirected from other regions, with communities and state companies actively assisting in the capital’s recovery efforts.
Zelenskiy also criticized Kyiv’s city administration, led by Mayor Vitali Klitschko, for insufficient action in responding to system failures, underscoring the need for coordinated efforts at both local and national levels.
The renewed attacks on Ukrainian infrastructure come amid ongoing hostilities in the fifth year of the conflict with Russia. Beyond immediate damage, strikes on electricity and heating systems continue to exacerbate humanitarian hardships, particularly in urban areas where hundreds of thousands rely on centralized heating during winter.
Zelenskiy’s remarks reflect both a strategic call for military and technical support from Western partners and a humanitarian appeal to ensure that civilians are protected from cascading infrastructure failures. By emphasizing the dual importance of air defense and rapid repair, Ukraine’s leadership is seeking to safeguard its cities while maintaining resilience against repeated Russian assaults.