Ukraine in winter’s hold: Traffic blocked on 14 highways, power cut off in 16 regions due to snowfall

Severe weather caused traffic closures on 14 major roads in Ukraine; 16 regions are experiencing power outages in residential areas. In the southern Mykolaiv region, rescuers pulled a bus with children and six ambulances from a snowdrift. Due to the weather in the central city of Cherkasy, schools have shifted to remote learning.

According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, Ihor Klymenko, the situation is most challenging in the Odesa region. Snowdrifts reach up to one and a half meters in the north and south. Rescue workers, police, National Guard, and border guards are involved in addressing the consequences of the storm.

Near the village of Udobne, border guards evacuated 42 people, including ten children, from buses. Using a snowmobile on the Izmail-Reni highway, rescuers freed six people. Over 500 vehicles, including 14 buses and 12 emergency vehicles, have been towed.

Assistance has been provided to 1624 people, including 93 children. Six people with signs of hypothermia sought medical help, as reported by the minister.

The neighboring Mykolaiv region is experiencing road closures in ten sections, with snowdrifts reaching two meters. The State Emergency Service units have been mobilized 49 times, towing 75 vehicles.

Within a day, 99 vehicles, including six ambulances, were rescued from snowdrifts. Evacuation efforts helped 290 people, including 35 children. A bus with 20 children, which had slid off the road, was escorted to Yuzhne, according to the head of Mykolaiv Regional Military Administration, Vitalii Kim.

Currently, ten vehicles and 18 adults are stuck in traffic without threat to their lives. A State Emergency Service vehicle with two rescuers and four civilians is on the M-13, two cars and three people are on the R-75 road, and seven pieces of equipment with nine people are on the R-75 route.

Kim also reported the power outages at 266 towns; 29 are partially blacked out. The weather-caused outages affected 88,091 physical and 6,024 legal subscribers. Twelve trees obstructing roads have been cleared, with no reported casualties.

Due to snow and icy conditions, 11 roads in the Mykolaiv region have been restricted from 8:00 p.m.

In the Cherkasy region, near the city of Kamianka, traffic is complicated, with police organizing a reverse traffic flow. Approximately 40 trucks are stopped on standby, and rescuers have set up mobile heating points. Due to heavy snowfall, schools in Cherkasy will conduct classes remotely.

In the central Kirovohrad region, near the village of Velyka Vyska, a traffic jam was cleared, and 30 trucks stood on the roadside. One hundred sixty-four vehicles were towed, and assistance was provided to 293 people.

In the Poltava region, 437 settlements are without power due to the storm.

Minister Klymenko urged drivers to avoid traveling to regions affected by the storm and advised seeking emergency services at 101 and 102.

Resilience points and mobile heating points are operational in the regions.

In summary for Ukraine:

• 2019 settlements are without power in 16 regions,
• 1370 trucks are in temporary standstill locations,
• 840 vehicles have been towed.

Klymenko stressed the importance of avoiding travel in storm-affected regions. Due to worsening weather conditions, all educational institutions in the Odesa and Kyiv regions will conduct remote learning starting November 27.

The M-15 Odesa-Reni highway and the M-05 Kyiv-Odesa highway have restrictions for all types of transport. Due to the storm, the Odesa-Kyiv highway is closed for all types of transport. In Kyiv, due to snowfall, entry to the city for oversized vehicles has been closed since 7:30 a.m. on November 27.