Russian Strike in Zhytomyr Strains Kyiv’s Power, Water Supply, Klitschko Says

A Russian attack on an energy facility in Zhytomyr, located 87 miles west of Kyiv, has exacerbated the capital's power supply and reduced water pressure, Mayor Vitali Klitschko announced on Friday, November 6. Amid a growing public dispute with President Volodymyr Zelensky over the city's readiness for winter, Kyivvodokanal, the capital's water utility, is switching to generator power at its stations where feasible.

Klitschko stated that the energy supply to Kyiv has worsened due to damage to an energy facility in Zhytomyr. Additionally, water pressure in the city's supply system has declined. Vitali Bunechko, head of the Zhytomyr Regional Military Administration, confirmed the attack but did not specify the targeted energy facility or the extent of the damage. He added that further details on repair timelines would become available after a professional assessment.

The strike occurred just a day after Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi cautioned that the western regions cannot "rely on the assumption" that they will remain unaffected by Russia's winter campaign. According to Koretskyi, Russia launches between 300 and 400 drones daily targeting critical infrastructure, along with various missile types, including ballistic missiles.

On November 3, the government approved monthly bonuses of Hr. 30,000 ($670) for energy, utility, and railway workers restoring infrastructure damaged by Russian strikes, as repair crews confront the threat of "double-tap" attacks.

Friday's disruption follows several days of water and energy supply interruptions in the capital. On November 5, water outages affected all districts of Kyiv after the city's water facilities lost power, a day after authorities declared full restoration. On November 2-3, a significant Russian attack knocked out three DTEK thermal power plants. Koretskyi reported that energy facilities in nine regions were targeted. The latest outage adds to the escalating public dispute between Klitschko and Zelensky.

On Friday, Zelensky reiterated his previous criticism, claiming Kyiv is experiencing the country's most severe utility disruptions. He blamed both Russian strikes and the city's failure to implement its own preparations for the heating season. Klitschko rejected the criticism, arguing that the damage to Ukraine's interconnected energy system disrupts supply everywhere, and Kyiv cannot be singled out for blame.

He also accused the central government of using the crisis against him, stating that "in an attempt to get rid of Klitschko by any means, by constantly creating obstacles and not helping the capital, the central government is actually destroying Kyiv."