Kyiv to Start Connecting Residential Buildings to Heating on November 2: Dates and Reasons Announced

In Kyiv, the connection of residential buildings to the district heating system will begin on Monday, November 2, 2026. This was announced by capital mayor Vitali Klitschko during a briefing, RBC-Ukraine reports. According to him, the decision on the early launch of the residential sector was made taking into account the forecasted sharp cold snap and the technical features of the city's heating network, a full launch of which takes up to a week.

How and to Whom Heat Has Already Been Supplied

The heating season in the capital officially started on October 16, 2026. Social sector institutions — hospitals, kindergartens, and schools — were the first to receive heat. According to the mayor's statement, the connection of the first phase did not follow a single schedule, but rather individual applications from institution heads. At the time of the briefing, heat was already being supplied to 157 medical institutions, 402 kindergartens, and 85 schools — according to Klitschko's estimate, this is almost 50% of the relevant facilities.

One of Europe's Largest Systems and Startup Deadlines

Klitschko explained that Kyiv's centralized heat supply system is one of the largest in Europe: the length of the heating networks is about three thousand kilometers. That is why, after the decision to start the heating season is made, it takes up to seven days to launch the entire system. Taking this timeframe into account, the city authorities, according to the mayor, decided to start connecting the residential sector in advance — before a significant drop in air temperature.

Extreme Conditions and Damaged Districts

The mayor emphasized that the heating season in Kyiv is starting in extreme conditions due to constant shelling of energy facilities. According to him, heat is not yet supplied to parts of the Dniprovskyi and Darnytskyi districts, where an energy facility recently sustained significant damage; restoration work is ongoing. The mayor also responded to criticism of the capital's preparation for winter, calling the accusations groundless.

The President's Position

Against the backdrop of discussions on Kyiv's preparation for winter, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he «has nothing personal against Klitschko.» According to the president, the mayor perceives talks about strengthening Kyiv as an attempt to replace him.