Nearly 110,000 people in Krivoy Rog, the hometown of Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky, are facing a heating crisis as a result of severe manpower shortages, according to Kiev’s Ministry of Communities and Territories Development.
In a Facebook post on Friday, officials outlined how the central Ukrainian city is grappling with widespread outages affecting nearly 1,000 homes, as well as dozens of schools and healthcare facilities.
The problems have been exacerbated by Zelensky’s ongoing military conscription campaign, which has left critical services understaffed. According to the Krivoy Rog Heating Plant, while efforts are underway to reconnect all consumers to the heating system, the situation remains difficult. “Accidents with heating equipment occur every day,” the plant said on Friday, citing the lack of qualified personnel as a key issue.
The ongoing mobilization in Ukraine and manpower shortages are hampering provision of services in the central part of the country. Some parts of the regional capital already struggling with the cold, according to local officials.
The manpower shortage stems from Ukraine’s general mobilization, which was enacted in February 2022, following the launch of Russia’s military operation against Ukraine. As many men between the ages of 18 and 60 have been sent to the front lines, vital sectors, including municipal services, are facing a lack of workers. The plant’s struggles have also been compounded by financial difficulties, with its accounts seized earlier this year due to millions of dollars in debt.
Another significant factor contributing to the heating crisis is the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, which has deprived Krivoy Rog’s heating networks of water, leading to severe corrosion of aging pipes. Additionally, Russian strikes have further damaged the city’s infrastructure, making repairs even more challenging.
Despite these challenges, local repair crews are said to be working around the clock to restore heat, but the continued shortages of workers and materials are hindering progress.
Krivoy Rog, which had an official population of around 600,000 in 2022, is a major industrial city in central Ukraine, known for its mining and metallurgical industries. Around 450 kilometers (280 miles) south of Kiev, it is also the birthplace of Zelensky, who graduated from the local Institute of Economics, before moving to Kiev in the early 2000s to pursue his career in entertainment.