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07 Nov. 2022

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Complete blackout: is the evacuation of Kyiv real?

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Ukraine

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Complete blackout: is the evacuation of Kyiv real?

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At present, municipal services of Kyiv are doing everything possible to support the life of the city. However, the consequences of shelling by Russian missiles are so severe that even an influential American publication, such as The New York Times, spoke about possible options for the development of events in the capital the other day.


According to the NYT, the damage caused by the Russian strikes has caused further suffering to the civilian population of Ukraine and has prompted officials to consider that further damage could render them unable to provide basic services to the people of Kyiv.


Representatives of the city authorities told journalists that the continuation of active shelling by the aggressor could lead to a complete blackout of Kyiv. In the event of a blackout, the authorities plan to evacuate about 3 million residents.


The situation in the country is quite difficult, in general, about 40% of critical infrastructure facilities in Ukraine are currently damaged. In many regions of the country, including in the capital, scheduled power outages continue to stabilize the situation in the country.


Engineers are trying to repair bombed power plants without the necessary equipment, because there is already not enough of it.


Blast walls are also being built to protect the power plants from future attacks. It is worth noting the experience and skill of the workers of communal services of Ukraine. The other day, municipal workers installed a backup water pipeline from Kyiv to the suburb of Gostomel, which can function without electricity. However, if massive Russian missile attacks continue, the damage could be so extensive that utilities would be unable to provide basic services.


In particular, the Ukrainian national electricity company Ukrenergo on Saturday confirmed the need for the continuation of power cuts, saying that they are necessary to "reduce the load on the networks, ensure stable balancing of the energy system and avoid repeated accidents after the power grids were damaged by a Russian missile and drone attacks".


Power outages will affect Kyiv and its surroundings, as well as Chernihiv, Cherkasy, Kharkiv, Poltava, Sumy, and Zhytomyr regions.


Kyiv authorities plan to deploy about 1,000 heating points to heat citizens. Most of them will be located in educational institutions. Read about how other cities of Ukraine plan to warm up here.


However, the situation in the capital is currently under control, there are no signs of a mass evacuation. The city authorities inform that people will be warned and asked to leave at least 12 hours before the moment when the network is completely out of order.


Ukraine's Western allies have stepped up their commitment to provide the country with more air defenses. But they have been difficult to implement, and opposition to the aid is growing in the West as many countries face their own economic difficulties.


But the leaders of the United States and Europe so far remain steadfast. The other day, EU countries sent more than 500 power generators to Ukraine.


The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitaliy Klitschko, said that he does not rule out the possibility of a complete lack of electricity, heat, water, and communications, and called on the capital's residents to be prepared for this: to stock up on water (drinking and technical), food, and warm things, or to think about a possible temporary relocation to relatives, friends in other cities or regions of Ukraine.


Vitaliy Klitschko noted that there is currently no critical need for evacuation, the authorities are only calculating various scenarios in order to prepare for and withstand attacks. The mayor noted that the management and communal structures will do everything possible to prevent such a scenario.


Also, we advise you to learn more about how to properly turn on household appliances after the power supply is restored and about the consequences of illegal heating.


In addition, you can find out about how to prepare for winter during the war and what you need to stock up for warming the house at the link.



Photo: Associated Press