President Volodymyr Zelenskiy expressed his gratitude to Ukraine’s military for defending the country against Russian attacks and to the rescue services for addressing the impact of severe winter weather that left approximately 400 settlements in 10 regions without power. Zelenskiy emphasized that intense battles were ongoing in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Kharkiv, while challenging weather conditions were affecting areas from Kyiv region to Odesa in the south. The heads of the Crimean peninsula, Sevastopol and the part of Kherson region under Moscow’s control declared a day off due to reports of high winds, flooded roads, and damaged buildings.
The situation became so severe that Moldova temporarily suspended vehicle access to its territory from two crossing points in Odesa region. Additionally, Moldovan authorities urged local schools to consider closing due to heavy snowfall and strong winds. In Odesa, residents were advised by Mayor Henadii Trukhanov to stay at home, while local authorities warned of interrupted water supplies due to power cuts that rendered pumps inoperable.
The extreme weather caused a transmission tower in Odesa region to snap in two, as depicted in a photograph shared by power grid operator Ukrenergo. The company assured the public that they were making every effort to address the consequences of the bad weather and restore power to affected homes.
The events were reported by Oleksandr Kozhukhar in Kyiv, Alexander Tanas in Chisinau, and Elaine Monaghan in Washington. The article was edited by Alexander Smith.
