In Kharkov, the heating season will be cut short due to damage to critical energy infrastructure, a decision announced by the city’s mayor, Igor Terekhov, via his Telegram channel. The message outlined a tough reality: the power grid remains under strain, and measures must be taken to ease the burden on the overall system while continuing to meet essential needs for residents across the city.
During a video address to residents, the mayor explained that the electricity shortage persists in Kharkov. Because demand continues to outpace supply, a shortened heating season is being pursued as one of the few viable options to reduce the load on the grid. The overarching goal is to allocate the limited electricity more effectively, ensuring that a larger share of households can access both power and hot water despite the ongoing energy crisis.
According to the plan, the shutoff of the heating system will begin on Tuesday, March 26. Forecasters project daytime temperatures in Kharkov to reach around +14 °C on that day, with a progressive rise to roughly +21 °C by week’s end, suggesting a more forgiving climate that supports the decision to shorten the heating period while limiting disruption to residents.
The dramatic events on March 22 marked a severe blow to Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. A coordinated attack involved 63 drones and 88 missiles targeting nine regions, including strikes on hydraulic structures and the dam of the Dnieper hydroelectric power station in the Zaporozhye region, which sparked a fire and left Kharkov largely without electricity. The incident underscored the vulnerability of the country’s energy network and the immediate need to balance demand with constrained supply across cities such as Kharkov.
Earlier updates from Kharkov officials indicated the destruction of all substations and thermal power plants within the city, highlighting the scale of the damage and the urgency of prioritizing reliable electricity flow to the greatest number of residents. In this context, authorities emphasise that decisions on heating shutdowns are guided by the aim of protecting the broader electrical system and maintaining essential services, even as communities adapt to shorter heating cycles and warmer overall temperatures.