Zelenskyy approved regional sustainability plans and separately addressed Klitschko
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted a decision of the National Security and Defense Council on implementing comprehensive regional sustainability plans and preparing the country for the 2026/2027 heating season. The Comprehensive Sustainability Plan for Kyiv was separately approved, and Mayor Vitali Klitschko was reminded of his personal responsibility for preparing the capital and ensuring a stable winter.
Zelenskyy signed corresponding decree No. 838/2026 on August 31. The document comes into force from the day of its publication.
The NSDC decision concerns the state of energy security, protection of critical infrastructure, and life support systems. Authorities assessed the regions' implementation of previously developed comprehensive plans and the real possibilities of completing the measures they envisage before the start of the heating season.
Officials of regional and Kyiv City state (military) administrations, mayors, as well as heads of enterprises, institutions, and organizations were warned of personal responsibility for failure to implement sustainability plans, unsatisfactory indicators, and untimely implementation of envisaged measures.
A separate plan approved for Kyiv
The NSDC approved the Comprehensive Sustainability Plan for the territorial community of Kyiv. The Kyiv City State Administration, the mayor of the capital, and the Kyiv City Council, together with relevant ministries, the State Emergency Service, the National Energy and Utilities Regulatory Commission, the Recovery Agency, the Security Service of Ukraine, the General Staff, Naftogaz, and Ukrenergo, must ensure its timely implementation.
Primarily, this concerns measures that need to be completed before the start of the 2026/2027 heating season. Responsible bodies must report monthly by the 10th day to the NSDC and the Cabinet of Ministers on the implementation status of the Kyiv plan and regional plans.
The decision separately states: "to draw the attention of the Kyiv City Mayor to personal responsibility for the preparation and sustainable passage of the 2026/2027 heating season in Kyiv".
The Cabinet of Ministers is also instructed to continue, together with the Kyiv authorities, financing the capital's plan in the envisaged amount, as well as to seek additional sources of funds, including financing from international partners.
Regions instructed to increase backup power by 20%
Regional and Kyiv City administrations must conduct command-staff exercises within a month to respond to possible emergencies during the heating season. Special attention should be paid to heat, electricity, gas, and water supply facilities.
Before the start of the heating season, the volume of backup power for life support facilities must be increased by 20% relative to the indicators set in the comprehensive sustainability plans. This primarily concerns heat and water supply facilities.
Local self-government bodies are instructed to create a physically available fuel reserve sufficient to get through the heating season, but not less than two weeks. Fuel should primarily ensure uninterrupted operation of life support facilities.
In addition, local authorities, together with condominium associations, management companies, and housing cooperatives, must take measures to increase the autonomy of apartment buildings. In particular, the decision mentions installing independent backup power systems necessary for the operation of life support systems in buildings during power outages.
Energy companies must prepare equipment for repairs
Enterprises regardless of ownership are instructed, before the start of the heating season, to ensure protection of all critical elements of heat and electricity production facilities using first-level engineering protection technical solutions.
Companies operating in the production, transmission, and distribution of electricity, gas extraction, and transportation must also create a reserve of equipment, components, and materials for prompt repair of infrastructure in winter.
The government is separately instructed to update comprehensive sustainability plans in view of which measures can realistically be implemented before the start of the heating season, as well as to develop additional protective measures for critical infrastructure.
The Cabinet of Ministers must also take measures to create sufficient reserves of petroleum products and support the restoration of rolling stock of Ukrzaliznytsia, including locomotives damaged or lost as a result of Russian aggression.
Based on materials from: President's Office of Ukraine
