"Where is the air defense for protecting the capital?": Klitschko told the Verkhovna Rada about Kyiv’s winter preparations

Almost 700 generators and 70 mobile boiler rooms: Klitschko reported to the Rada about Kyiv’s energy resilience

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko 14 October delivered a briefing in the Verkhovna Rada on the capital’s preparation for the heating season and ensuring energy resilience. He said the city had strengthened backup power and heat supply sources despite Russian attacks on infrastructure. At the same time, the mayor criticized central authorities and raised questions about responsibility for air defense and protection of energy facilities.

Klitschko said this in his post after speaking in parliament.

Generators, boiler rooms, and backup water supply

According to the mayor, Kyiv prepared almost 700 generators of various capacities for heating and water facilities, as well as 70 mobile mobile boilers. The city has already built three diesel power plants and a backup water intake.

Separately Klitschko cited data on the readiness of municipal infrastructure. Currently, Kyivvodokanal has 103 generators and is awaiting additional high-capacity systems manufactured abroad.

For housing stock under resilience programs, more than 6000 units of equipment were purchased, including generators, inverters, and batteries.

According to the mayor, backup power sources are provided for all educational institutions, among them 285 have high-capacity generators. In the city hospitals there are 480 generators. In 15 medical facilities they have drilled wells, and in six more work is ongoing. Autonomous heating from own boiler rooms is available at 11 hospitals, and by the end of the year this system is planned for ten more.

Klitschko emphasized that the city continues repairing infrastructure and ensuring the operation of communal enterprises, despite staff shortages and payment problems.

"Where is the air defense to protect the capital?"

At the same time, the mayor’s speech went beyond a report on winter preparations. Klitschko rejected accusations against city authorities and stated that the questions of protecting the capital from air attacks and ensuring energy facility safety cannot be shifted entirely onto local self-government.

"You can say anything, hang the third world on me… But not only me has the question: where is the air defense to protect the capital? Where is the protection of Ukrenergo facilities? Where are the billions that were allocated for this?" the mayor said.

He also disputed claims that other cities were allegedly better prepared for winter than Kyiv. According to Klitschko, problems due to frozen payments are felt by communities across the country.

Separately the mayor spoke about pressure on local self-government, recalling the removal of community heads, criminal cases, and accusations he regards as unfounded.

Why Klitschko was called to the parliament

On the eve of 13 October, the Verkhovna Rada supported the proposal of MP Maryana Bezuhla to summon Klitschko for a briefing on Kyiv’s energy resilience plan and preparation for the heating season. The decision was approved by 151, eight voted against. This was reported by Suspilne.

The summons came amid criticism from central authorities regarding Kyiv’s winter preparations. Before his parliamentary appearance, Klitschko said the city provides information on the measures being taken but is not responsible for air defense and cannot independently prevent consequences of Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.

After the briefing the mayor emphasized that Kyiv will endure thanks to the joint efforts of residents, utilities, and the military.

As a reminder, the capital is more than 95% dependent on external electricity supply, and its own generation is not enough even to power critical infrastructure. Volodymyr Omelchenko, director of energy programs at the Razumkov Center, believes Kyiv did not prepare for possible separation from the unified energy system of Ukraine.

If Kyiv remains without electricity for 20 hours a day in winter and the temperature drops to -10°C, there could be large-scale water supply interruptions and freezing of internal building systems. In the worst-case scenario this could lead to a municipal collapse in high-rise buildings. At the same time Kyivvodokanal will try to preserve sewage discharge, since a prolonged shutdown of wastewater poses sanitary-epidemiological consequences.