Multi-story buildings must become more autonomous, while energy facilities must receive additional protection. Zelenskyy approved a plan to prepare for winter.
Kyiv • UNN
The National Security and Defense Council obliged the regions to strengthen infrastructure protection, increase backup power capacity by 20%, and create a two-week fuel reserve.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy enacted the decision of the National Security and Defense Council on the status of implementation of the Comprehensive Regional Resilience Plans and preparations for the 2026/2027 heating season. UNN reports this, citing the head of state's decree No. 838/202.
The document provides for strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure, increasing backup power for essential services facilities by 20%, creating fuel reserves of at least two weeks, and preparing backup equipment for emergency repairs,
Details
By a decree dated August 31, the president enacted the NSDC decision of August 5, 2026, "On the status of implementation of the Comprehensive Resilience Plans of certain regions and approval of the Comprehensive Resilience Plan for the territorial community of the city of Kyiv." Control over its implementation was assigned to the Secretary of the NSDC. The decree enters into force on the day of its publication.
The decision was adopted in view of the situation in the energy security sector, the state of the fuel and energy complex, and the need to protect critical facilities of essential services systems amid Russian aggression. The NSDC took note of the prime minister's information regarding the implementation by regional state and military administrations and mayors of the Comprehensive Resilience Plans, including the extent to which measures have already been implemented and what can realistically be completed before the start of the new heating season.
Officials of regional and Kyiv city state and military administrations, mayors, as well as heads of enterprises, institutions, and organizations were warned of personal responsibility for failure to implement the Comprehensive Resilience Plans, unsatisfactory work rates, and untimely or improper implementation of the measures envisaged.
A separate plan for Kyiv
The NSDC approved the Comprehensive Resilience Plan for the territorial community of Kyiv.
The capital's authorities, together with central government bodies, energy companies, and other responsible entities, must ensure its unconditional and timely implementation. This primarily concerns measures that must be completed before the start of the heating season.
The decision separately emphasizes the personal responsibility of the Mayor of Kyiv for preparing the capital and ensuring a stable 2026/2027 heating season. The responsible bodies must inform the NSDC and the Cabinet of Ministers monthly, by the 10th, about the status of implementation of the resilience plans, including the capital's plan. If necessary, substantiated proposals for adjusting the plans must be submitted together with the reports.
Resilience plans will be revised in line with actual capabilities
The Cabinet of Ministers was instructed to immediately ensure the updating of the Comprehensive Resilience Plans, taking into account the realistic prospects for completing the planned work before the start of the heating season. During implementation of the plans, the government, together with the regional and Kyiv city administrations and local authorities, must promptly make the necessary changes and inform the NSDC thereof.
The Cabinet of Ministers must also ensure the continuation of co-financing for Kyiv's Comprehensive Resilience Plan and seek additional sources of funding for measures in the regions, including through funds from international partners.
Separately, the government must intensify efforts to designate facilities included in the Comprehensive Resilience Plans as critical infrastructure facilities, categorize them, and ensure that the relevant information is entered into the Register of Critical Infrastructure Facilities.
Backup power to be increased by 20%
Before the start of the heating season, regional and Kyiv city state and military administrations, with the participation of enterprises regardless of their ownership structure, must increase the amount of backup power by 20% compared with the figures stipulated in the Comprehensive Resilience Plans. This primarily concerns equipment necessary for the continuous operation of essential services facilities, including heating and water supply systems.
In addition, during the month, command-and-staff exercises on responding to possible emergencies during the heating season are to be held in the regions. The exercise scenarios should cover, in particular, accidents and other emergencies at heat, electricity, gas, and water supply facilities.
The fuel supply must be sufficient for at least two weeks
Local self-government bodies have been instructed to ensure the actual physical availability of fuel reserves. Their volumes must be sufficient to ensure a stable heating season; however, the reserve may not be less than what is needed for two weeks of operation.
Population life-support facilities are to be supplied with fuel as a priority.
The Cabinet of Ministers must also, together with participants in the petroleum products market regardless of their form of ownership, take measures to create an actually available fuel reserve in volumes necessary to get through the winter.
High-rise buildings must become more autonomous
A separate section of the decision concerns the housing stock. Before the start of the heating season, local self-government bodies, together with condominium associations, managers of apartment buildings, and housing construction cooperatives, must take measures to increase the autonomy of high-rise buildings.
In particular, this concerns the installation of independent backup power systems that will make it possible to maintain the operation of critically important internal building systems during prolonged power outages.
Energy facilities must be additionally protected
Before the start of the heating season, enterprises regardless of their form of ownership must ensure the protection of all critical elements of heat and electricity generation facilities.
To this end, first-level engineering protection technical solutions must be applied. The coordination and monitoring of the implementation of this task have been assigned to the regional administrations and the Kyiv City Administration, together with the relevant state supervision bodies.
At the same time, the Cabinet of Ministers must additionally work out the issue of applying third-level engineering protection technical solutions for critical infrastructure elements and submit proposals on the further implementation of such measures within a month.
Enterprises engaged in the generation of heat and electricity, the transmission and distribution of electricity, as well as the extraction, transportation, or distribution of natural gas, must create a reserve of equipment, components, and materials.
These stocks must be created before the start of the heating season so that repairs can be carried out promptly in the event of damage to energy infrastructure.
A separate task concerning "Ukrzaliznytsia"
The NSDC decision also provides for support for the restoration and replenishment of "Ukrzaliznytsia's" rolling stock, including locomotives that were damaged or lost due to Russian aggression. Possible mechanisms include government assistance programs, attracting international financing, and simplifying public procurement procedures.
In addition, the government must examine the possibility of leasing or purchasing rolling stock, including locomotives that have already been in use.
Context
The NSDC approved comprehensive resilience plans for the regions and individual cities back in March 2026. They were developed against the backdrop of threats to energy security and the need to ensure the operation of regional life-support systems amid the possible continuation of Russian strikes on energy and other critical infrastructure.
On August 5, at an NSDC meeting chaired by Zelenskyy, the status of implementation of these plans in the regions was analyzed separately, and Kyiv's resilience plan was approved. At the time, the President identified strengthening the protection of critical infrastructure, ensuring the necessary quantity and quality of shelters and bomb shelters, and building up antiballistic capabilities among the key areas of preparation for winter.
The National Security and Defense Council emphasized that the main task in preparing for the autumn-winter period of 2026/2027 is to ensure the readiness of every community to operate amid the continuation of Russian aggression and possible new attacks on energy and critical infrastructure.
We remind you
Kharkiv is being prepared for winter amid ongoing Russian strikes.