Kyiv authorities have launched a large-scale update of data regarding citizens in need of social support. Ahead of the winter season, city services are rechecking lists of persons with reduced mobility to ensure their safety in the event of prolonged utility outages. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Marina Khonda, Deputy Head of the Kyiv City State Administration (Kyiv City Council).
The problem of actual residence
A key issue authorities faced last winter was the discrepancy between the official place of registration and the actual place of residence of citizens. Marina Khonda noted that a significant portion of persons with reduced mobility — single elderly people, people with disabilities, and families with children with disabilities — do not live at the address listed in their documents. In emergency situations requiring urgent evacuation or delivery of aid, the lack of current data can cost time and lives. Currently, the city is striving to correct this situation so that services know exactly where a person is located and what assistance they require.
Who needs to update their data
It is important to note that citizens who are already registered with territorial centers for social services or district departments of social and veterans' policy do not need to reapply. Priority attention is being given to categories of citizens who belong to the risk group but are not on social service records, or those who are unsure about the accuracy of their residential data in the city services database. To clarify information, it is recommended to contact the department of social and veterans' policy of the respective district.
Expansion of the heating point network
Parallel to updating databases, Kyiv is significantly expanding its support infrastructure. This year, the number of heating points in the city is planned to double. If previously there were about five schools with autonomous heating and catering in each district, this number will now be increased to ten per district. In total, 100 heating points will be opened across the city. These centers will be activated immediately in the event of an emergency power or heating outage, providing citizens with warmth and food.
Energy resilience and financing
Experts note that Kyiv demonstrates a higher level of readiness of energy infrastructure for winter compared to other regions. This has become possible thanks to the city's significant financial capabilities and an agreement with the government on co-financing the "resilience plan" on a 50/50 basis. This model allows for the effective allocation of resources for the repair and modernization of networks, ensuring the stability of heat and light supply even under difficult conditions.
