“Weather conditions have significantly worsened in many of our regions—there are serious problems on the roads and with power and communications networks,” he said in a Telegram post.
“This is effectively an emergency mode for all [public] services.”
Zelenskyy added that the government will draft a resolution enabling noncritical institutions, including office workplaces, to have employees work from home temporarily. In coordination with local authorities, officials will also determine how schools will operate this week and next.
Earlier, the Patrol Department of Ukraine’s National Police said that as of the morning of Jan. 8, police had received 260 calls about traffic accidents caused by the weather, including 43 involving injuries. Authorities are urging Ukrainians to avoid long-distance travel.
Meteorologists forecast that a cyclone moving in before a sharp drop in temperatures at the end of the week will bring heavy rain and snow, wide temperature swings, and rapid changes in atmospheric pressure nationwide.