A utility company in Krivoy Rog says it is struggling to carry out repairs due to lack of qualified staff
The ongoing mobilization in Ukraine and manpower shortage are hampering the work of municipal services in Krivoy Rog, in the central part of the country. This could leave many residents without heating as winter approaches, with some parts of the city already struggling with the cold, according to local officials.
In a Facebook post on Friday, the Krivoy Rog Heat Plant admitted that while it plans to connect all consumers to the heating system, “the situation remains difficult,” adding that “accidents with heating equipment occur every day,” affecting some of the city’s consumers.
According to Ukraine’s Ministry of Communities and Territories Development, nearly 1,000 homes, as well as dozens of health care facilities and schools, remain without heat. The crisis has affected about 110,000 people. In 2022, the population of Krivoy Rog was about 600,000 people.
The plant blamed several factors, including draft measures. “The enterprise lacks qualified personnel; the personnel shortage was also felt by subcontractors that were involved in the repairs,” the post said.
In addition, the facility explained that it is struggling with repairs because its accounts were seized in March of this year due to millions of dollars in debt that had been piling up since 1998.
Another problem stems from the destruction of the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant, which deprived the heating networks of water for a long time, leading to corrosion of already worn-out pipes.
In addition, Russian strikes have had hydraulic impact on the infrastructure, further aggravating damage to the networks.
Despite these problems, the statement added, local repair crews – reinforced by employees of the state company Naftogaz – are working around the clock to provide heat to the population.
Ukraine announced general mobilization in February 2022, barring most men between 18 and 60 from leaving the country. The campaign has been marred by widespread bribery and draft-dodging. This spring, Kiev lowered the draft age from 27 to 25 and further tightened mobilization rules to address a manpower shortage at the front.
