The Kyiv City State Administration explained how it is preparing for possible blackouts
The Kyiv City State Administration is collecting data on older adults and people with disabilities who may need assistance in the event of prolonged power or heat outages during the winter. If necessary, they plan to provide assistance at home or temporarily relocate them to social centers, geriatric care facilities, medical institutions, or specially equipped municipal facilities.
More than 160,000 adults and 16,000 children with disabilities live in Kyiv.
In addition, about 26,000 elderly people living alone are enrolled in the social protection system and receive relevant services.
At the same time, the Kyiv City State Administration emphasizes that not everyone will need to be relocated. For some Kyiv residents, assistance at home—such as meals, warm clothing kits, or additional visits from social workers—will be sufficient.
“Right now, we’re focusing not on the number of people, but on their specific needs. For some, assistance at home will be enough—such as food, a warm clothing kit, or additional visits from a social worker. For others, temporary relocation may be the safest option. This could include social service facilities, geriatric care homes, medical institutions, or specially prepared municipal facilities,” Honda said.
According to her, more than 1,200 elderly people living alone and about 400 children with disabilities have already expressed a desire to be temporarily relocated. However, these figures may still change, as data verification is ongoing.
“Currently, more than 1,200 elderly people living alone have expressed a desire to be temporarily relocated if necessary. Among children with disabilities, there are about 400. And this is not the final figure. Verification is currently underway, and we need to understand not only the potential need but also the willingness of a specific person to relocate,” the deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration explained.
According to Khonda, one of the main lessons learned last winter was the need to know the actual whereabouts of people who may require assistance.
“After all, there are many people who actually live in homes but do not use social services. They are not registered with or under the supervision of the Social Protection Department or social service centers. Consequently, the system does not recognize them,” the official noted.
Therefore, the city determines in advance whether people have relatives they can move in with during a crisis, or whether they are willing to use the accommodations prepared by the Kyiv City State Administration.
“Last winter, we had over 3,000 refusals of temporary relocation—even in cases where a place and transportation had already been arranged for the person. That’s why we’re now checking in advance: whether a person has relatives they can move in with in a crisis situation or is willing to relocate to our facilities,” Honda explained.
The Kyiv City State Administration notes that preparing for a potential relocation requires advance planning. To set up additional accommodations, it is necessary to purchase beds, blankets, and pillows, as well as ensure the necessary food supplies.
“In other words, this is routine work that requires preparation. We will continue to work on expanding our database so that no one is left in need,” said the official.
In the event of temporary relocation, the Kyiv City State Administration plans to provide people not only with housing but also with a range of social services.
Specifically, this includes meals, heating, medical and social support, care, psychological support, recreational activities, and transportation.
The Kyiv City Center for Social Services has already prepared accommodations for children with disabilities and elderly people living alone. Municipal geriatric care facilities have allocated additional spaces, and two municipal rehabilitation centers have been prepared to provide emergency shelter for children and adults with disabilities.
“This is not just a bed and a roof over one’s head. People are provided with warmth, meals, social and—if necessary—medical care, psychological support, personal care, recreational activities, and transportation,” Honda emphasized.
This was reported by Marina Honda, deputy head of the Kyiv City State Administration.
Earlier, First Deputy Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and reported on the state of Ukraine’s energy system ahead of the winter season. He outlined the key needs that international partners should help address.
According to government forecasts, the coming winter in Ukraine will be no easier than the previous one. Russia has significantly increased the intensity of its attacks on civilian and energy infrastructure.
