Chilling Consequences: Soviet Era Urban Planning Exacerbates Ukrainian Winter Struggles

Sat Jan 31 2026 19:30:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

As temperatures plummet and Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure increase, the legacy of Soviet urban design is leaving millions without heat this winter.

Ukraine is facing its harshest winter amid ongoing Russian attacks targeting critical energy infrastructure. With below-freezing temperatures and many civilians reliant on outdated central heating systems from the Soviet era, the impact is devastating, leaving entire neighborhoods in the cold. The challenges stem from a centralized heating model ill-equipped for modern warfare. As Kyiv and other cities see repeated attacks, residents struggle to cope with the turmoil of living conditions that frequently leave them guessing about basic necessities.

Ukraine is now living through its most difficult winter in recent memory. With January temperatures plummeting below -15C, Russia has been attacking energy infrastructure, leaving about a million Ukrainians without heating.

The capital, Kyiv, is the main target of such attacks. Following the latest Russian bombardment overnight into January 24, almost 6,000 apartment blocks were left without heating, according to mayor Vitaly Klitschko.

This is the third such Russian attack targeting Kyiv's heating infrastructure in little more than two weeks, after strikes on January 9 and 20 also left hundreds of thousands freezing in their flats.

Living in Kyiv is a bit of a gamble these days, said Rita, a resident of the Ukrainian capital. If you have heating and gas, there is no electricity and water. If you have electricity and water, there is no heating. Coming home is like playing a guessing game every day - will I be able to shower or have hot tea, or neither? And of course missiles and drones come on top of all that. Rita adds she has to go to bed wearing a hat and several layers of clothing.

The situation is compounded by the prevalence of apartment blocks relying on communal central heating systems, which are particularly vulnerable to attacks. These massive heating plants affect thousands of homes at once, underscoring the impact of Russian strikes.

Kyivteploenergo, the monopoly supplying heating and hot water in Kyiv, highlighted the critical nature of their services without specifying numbers for security reasons. In Zaporizhzhia, a city with 750,000 residents, almost three-quarters rely on the same centralized heating system.

Before Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, around 11 million households in Ukraine utilized central heating. The centralized model, a remnant of Soviet urban planning from the 1950s, proves challenging in times of modern warfare. According to energy expert Yuriy Korolchuk, these systems were neither designed to withstand missile attacks nor have they been upgraded since. Moving from this centralized setup to individual heating solutions in apartment complexes is a daunting task, but it is in discussion amidst ongoing challenges.

Despite the efficiencies offered by large central installations, the risks associated with their targeting have become painfully clear, leaving many Ukrainians uncertain about their warmth as winter progresses.