Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday, January 14, a “state of emergency” will be declared in the energy sector, after relentless Russian strikes on heat and electricity supplies during freezing winter temperatures.

Moscow has hit Ukraine with daily drone and missile barrages in recent months, targeting energy infrastructure and cutting power and heating in the frigid depths of winter.

“A permanent coordination headquarters will be established to address the situation in the city of Kyiv. Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector,” Zelensky said after holding a meeting on the situation.

He also said that he ordered the government to scale up efforts to get support from allies, deregulate backup energy supply and review curfew rules. “Work is also underway to significantly increase the volume of electricity imports into Ukraine,” the president added.

Temperatures below -15C

Some 400 housing blocks in Kyiv have been without heating for several days since a massive Russian salvo last Friday initially left half of the capital without heat and light, mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said. “The situation in Kyiv is very difficult. A scale like this is the first in four years of full-scale war,” the mayor said on social media.

Temperatures in Kyiv were set to fall below -15C overnight.

“Residents currently have about three hours with electricity and up to ten – or in some places even more – without it,” he added.

Authorities in Kyiv and the surrounding region rolled out emergency power cuts, saying freezing temperatures were complicating their work.

Since last Friday, the authorities have set up 1,200 emergency warming centres – tents where people can warm up, charge devices and get hot food and drink.

Klitschko earlier called on residents to temporarily leave the city during restoration works, if they were able to do so.