Kiev Mayor, Former Boxer Klitschko Urges Residents of Ukraine’s Capital To Leave the City as Half the Buildings Have No Power or Heating
Kiev mayor, former boxing champion Klitschko.
As global attention centered on a hypersonic missile strike in Lviv, Ukraine experienced another large-scale overnight assault involving missiles and drones that heavily damaged energy infrastructure and plunged multiple cities into darkness and freezing conditions.
Kyiv was among the hardest hit. Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned that roughly half of the capital’s apartment buildings were left without heating following what he described as the most severe attack on the city’s critical infrastructure since the war began.
The Mayor of Kyiv, Klitschko, urged city residents to temporarily leave the capital, as half of the city’s multi-story buildings were left without heating due to a nighttime attack. pic.twitter.com/VLOtJMu68i
— Sprinter Press (@SprinterPress) January 9, 2026
With temperatures dropping below 14°F, Russian forces launched a coordinated strike overnight involving more than 240 drones and dozens of missiles, according to Ukraine’s Air Force. Kyiv and surrounding regions were the primary targets. The attack damaged energy facilities and residential buildings, killing at least four people and injuring 19 others.
Klitschko said emergency crews were working around the clock but acknowledged that restoring services would take time. He urged residents who have the ability to do so to temporarily leave the city and seek shelter in areas with reliable power and heat.
The Mayor of Kyiv, Klitschko, urged residents of the capital to leave the city if possible:
“I appeal to the residents of the capital who have the opportunity to temporarily leave the city, where there are alternative sources of electricity and heat, to do so” pic.twitter.com/cG7xz40F9K
— Levan Gudadze (@GudadzeLevan) January 9, 2026
Kiev Mayor Klichko calls on the population of Kiev to leave the city and go to places that have electricity and heat. https://t.co/Q6ZzX7gMkL
— Russians With Attitude (@RWApodcast) January 9, 2026
City services are operating under emergency conditions, with widespread power outages and water supply disruptions affecting large sections of Kyiv. Officials emphasized that the mayor’s message was not a formal evacuation order but a recommendation, particularly for residents who can relocate to heated country homes or stay with friends or relatives in less affected regions.
Authorities continue to assess the damage as repair efforts proceed amid harsh winter weather.
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