Ukraine, Caritas: “Half a million people without heating in Kiev”

Vatican City (Vatican), Jan. 29 (LaPresse) – In Kiev, “according to the latest information, over 1,100 multi-story residential buildings are currently without heating. Electricity is partially interrupted, and many supply sources have been damaged. It is estimated that the crisis affects at least half a million residents in the capital and the surrounding region.” Oleksandr Magdalits of Caritas Ukraine told Vatican media. “Kyiv and the entire surrounding region now need a restoration of energy supplies that cannot be guaranteed with local resources alone, either immediately or in the near future,” he added. “We do not see the possibility of a complete return to electricity and heating in the coming months. Among other things, some buildings face a second serious problem: due to power and heating outages, the sewage systems have frozen. These buildings are now without sanitation, and thawing will not be possible before summer. Hospitals, nurseries, and schools are also completely or partially disconnected from the power grid and are seeking alternative sources of energy where possible. The most dramatic situation concerns people with disabilities or reduced mobility, elderly people living alone, and families with young children. It is not always possible to reach them, while assistance services are mostly concentrated in public spaces or specific buildings and do not reach every single apartment. There are photos showing icicles inside apartment building stairwells. And behind closed doors live people who, due to their physical condition, cannot even leave their homes.