President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy has expressed serious concern regarding the pace of preparation for the upcoming winter season in the capital. According to his official statement dated October 13, 2026, Kyiv is showing a critical lag behind other regions of the country in implementing infrastructure resilience plans. The head of state warned that the current situation is alarming, as even limited attacks by Shahed-type drones are leading to systematic disruptions in electricity and water supply in Kyiv's districts.
Critical Failures in Infrastructure
The President emphasized that the preparation of the housing stock, educational institutions, and protective structures is at an extremely low level. In the context of a full-scale war, where Kyiv should serve as a model of readiness, current metrics indicate a failure to execute basic tasks aimed at strengthening the energy and social protection of citizens. Zelenskyy underscored that this is unacceptable given the approaching cold weather, which is forecasted to be among the most severe since the conflict began.
Comparison with Other Regions
Zelenskyy pointed to other Ukrainian cities, specifically Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia, as examples where local authorities, despite significantly more challenging security conditions and proximity to the front line, have achieved notable success in winter preparations. The comparison with the work of Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov and the head of the Zaporizhzhia Defense Council, Ivan Fedorov, showed that Kyiv authorities possess all the necessary resources but are failing to utilize them properly to protect the population.
Contradictory Data
It should be noted that despite the criticism of the city administration by the President, official reports from the Kyiv City State Administration had previously claimed 90% readiness of critical infrastructure for the heating season. At the same time, data from independent observers and complaints from residents on social media confirm the President's assertion regarding systemic network failures following precision strikes, creating a gap between 'paper' reports and the actual readiness of systems for extreme loads.
Further Steps
A series of personnel and organizational decisions aimed at intensifying preparations for Kyiv's winter season is expected in the near future. The President has already held meetings with specialized structures, including the leadership of the SBU, to expedite the implementation of resilience plans. Experts suggest that if the critical flaws are not addressed within the next few weeks, the capital could face unprecedented resource restrictions during the winter months.
