Situation in Kyiv still far from meriting evacuation, Ukrainian PM says
Center of Kyiv without electricity after Russian strikes on infrastructure facilities (Photo:REUTERS/Gleb Garanich)
While Kyiv remains heavily affected by Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, the situation in the capital is far from the point where civilians would be evacuated, Ukrainian PM Denys Shmyhal said during a cabinet meeting on Nov. 8.
“I will once again return to the topic of the evacuation of civilians from Kyiv or from other cities,” Shmyhal said.
“An honest conversation is important and necessary here. Therefore, I stress once again the position of the government and all departments responsible: evacuation would be used as the last resort, as an emergency measure.”
The PM said that recent public discussions of a potential evacuation of the capital represent the government preparing and outlining a number of contingency plans.
“But now the situation is far from announcing an evacuation of any non-frontline city, let alone the capital,” he added.
“With the power grid heavily damaged by Russian missiles, emergency workers in Kyiv are contemplating a total blackout that would require the evacuation of three million residents”, U.S. newspaper The New York Times wrote on Nov. 5.
Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko made an effort to communicate that both the residents and the government ought to be prepared for every eventuality during the coming winter season, given the persistent threat of Russian strikes at Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.
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