The past week has been treacherous for the people of Ukraine. Attacks on critical infrastructure have left millions of people without power, while the temperature remains below freezing. In Kyiv, most people live in apartments, so no electricity means no water, no heat, and no way to cook. With no elevator service, some individuals on the upper floors are unable to leave their apartments, particularly the elderly. At night families get into one bed, bundled in their thermal underwear and winter coats, in an effort to stay warm. Those who are fortunate to have gas service are heating building bricks on the stove as a source of heat.
The government is taking extraordinary measures, including creating “Invincibility Trains:” rail cars sit on the platform with their diesel engines running, as people get warm, power their phones, and children play.
Over the next two weeks Kyiv faces prolonged blackouts and subzero temperatures; the weather is unusually cold, even by Ukrainian standard. The prognosis for rapid improvement in the power supply is bleak. Ongoing attacks over the past few years have severely degraded the energy infrastructure making it harder each time to recover. Repairs are especially difficult and time consuming because everything is under ice and critical parts are hard to find.
Thanks to local leaders, staff, and volunteers, we have launched an urgent, large-scale emergency response, distributing firewood, heaters, generators, and fuel. In addition, community centers and synagogues are being equipped with emergency heating solutions to serve as warming centers for local residents. We are evacuating some families to Western Ukraine, where basic utilities remain functional.
“Right now, this is all about survival,” a local staff member noted. “We are doing everything possible to ensure that no member of the community is left without warmth.”
We are grateful for our partners and generous donors who make our work possible. Together we save lives and restore hope.
