Around 600,000 people flee Kyiv as city approaches ‘humanitarian catastrophe’ – report
Some 600,000 people have fled the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv this month as Russian strikes push the city towards a “humanitarian catastrophe”, according to a report.Â
Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko has told The Times that the situation there is “critical”, as residents continue to be cut off from heating, water and electricity amid Moscow’s attacks on the country’s energy grid and infrastructure.Â
Overnight attacks yesterday left more than 5,635 homes without heat during -15C temperatures.Â
Many of the buildings were being reconnected for a second time after a previous attack earlier this month, Klitschko said.
Emergency services have set up heated tents in the city to house residents cut off from the grid.
“The Russians want to make a humanitarian catastrophe in our hometown, to make people freeze Âduring the winter,” Klitschko told The Times.
Schools and universities have extended their winter
holidays, and many ‌companies have moved to remote work or
reduced their operating hours due to the energy emergency in Kyiv.