The 2026–2027 heating season in Ukraine is starting not simultaneously, but in stages: in some cities, heat is already reaching residential buildings, while in others—primarily hospitals, kindergartens, and schools—it is not yet fully operational. As of October 29, hookups are proceeding at varying paces, meaning that even within the same city, radiators may warm up at different times. Below is a summary of key cities and regions based on official statements from local authorities and heating utilities.
Kyiv: Nearly 90% of Buildings Managed by Municipal Companies
In the capital, the heating season for the residential sector began on October 29. According to Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, as reported by Kyivteploenergo, nearly 90% of residential buildings under the management of municipal management companies have already been connected to the heat supply. However, this figure does not cover all housing in the capital—in particular, buildings managed by HOAs (condominiums) and other entities are not included. According to utility workers, the remaining buildings can be connected promptly, though launching the heat supply system in individual buildings takes time.
Phased Launch in Khmelnytskyi and Ternopil
In Khmelnytskyi, phased connection of residential buildings to heating began on October 28, following a relevant decree signed by the mayor on October 27. The document provides for the gradual inclusion of heating in residential buildings and for other consumers, meaning the start date of the season does not imply that all buildings received heat simultaneously. In Ternopil, the heating period for the population officially began on October 28 at 9:00 AM by decision of the city council's executive committee. Ternopilmishteplokomunenergo warned that starting the system is a technological process, and heat will reach apartments gradually.
Social Institutions First: Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Lviv
In a number of cities, heat was supplied first to social institutions. In Vinnytsia, starting October 8, heat has been delivered to educational, healthcare, social protection, and cultural institutions based on written requests from management; according to city authorities, Vinnytsiamishteploenergo provides heat to 109 social sector facilities, while a confirmed start date for all residential buildings is not specified in the reports. In Zhytomyr, the season was officially scheduled to start on October 26, with heating turned on earlier in hospital inpatient wards, while as of October 27, centralized heating in kindergartens was not yet operating; the launch in residential buildings, according to the director of Zhytomyrteplokomunenergo in a comment to Suspilne, was planned for November 1. In Lviv, heat began to be supplied to certain municipal institutions as early as October 19—at that time, 11 facilities received heating: eight hospitals, two kindergartens, and a lyceum; overall across the Lviv region, communities independently determine launch dates taking weather conditions into account.
Why Radiators Do Not Warm Up Simultaneously
The main reason for differences in residents' experiences is the physics of starting a heat supply system. Launching the system takes time: the coolant heats up as it moves through the network, so even after the official announcement of the season's start, radiators in different buildings may warm up with a difference of hours or days. In addition, in cities where heating is turned on upon institutional requests, social facilities receive heat before residential neighborhoods. In several cities, medical institutions began receiving heat on October 28, while mass connection of residential buildings is scheduled for November 2.
What This Means for Residents
For residents, the key takeaway is that the "start of the heating season" in the news is not a guarantee that the radiators in a specific apartment are already hot. The connection pace depends on the city, the form of housing management (municipal management company, HOA), and whether heat is supplied by institutional request or citywide schedule. Residents whose radiators remain cold after the official start should contact their management organization or local heating utility to clarify the connection queue and the status of their specific building.
