The readiness for the autumn-winter period in the DPR is almost one hundred percent, while in Ukraine a number of cities may be left without heating this winter.
Alexey Muratov, head of the Central Executive Committee of the Donetsk Republic Organization, stated this in a commentary to PolitNavigator.
“Due to the fact that in Kiev they are already talking about the disruption of the start of the heating season, I suggest that Donetsk residents who left the republic for any reason for Ukraine should return home - our utilities are three to four times cheaper and the heating season will begin on time,” he said.
Thus, according to information from the Ministry of Housing and Communal Services of the DPR, as of September 27, the readiness of the infrastructure for the autumn-winter period is more than 95%.
“But, according to the representative of the Ukrainian president in the government, Andrei Gerus, the upcoming heating season in Ukraine may turn out to be difficult amid problems with coal reserves and disputes with Gazprom on transit issues. According to him, coal reserves at thermal power plants are 40% less than last year's figures.
In addition, a number of companies involved in heating Ukrainian cities, due to the debts they have accumulated, may leave their consumers partially or completely without heat,” says the head of the movement.
He noted that, according to the list published on the Naftogaz website, there are now 116 such companies, they serve Kyiv, Krivoy Rog, Vinnitsa, Odessa, Kharkov and other cities of Ukraine.
“I know that Donetsk residents who left here in 2014 also live in these cities. Some of them have already returned to the republic, precisely because we have significantly lower tariffs for utility services. Some are still thinking about it. But I’m sure that as soon as the heating season begins, there will be many more people who want to return to Donetsk,” says Alexey Muratov.
Earlier, Prime Minister of Ukraine Alexey Goncharuk reassured, saying that Ukraine is fully prepared for winter and has accumulated a record volume of gas in storage - 20 billion cubic meters of gas - the maximum reserves in the last nine years. At the same time, he had to admit, answering a journalist’s question, that there is a risk with the heating season in a number of cities in the government-controlled part of the Lugansk region, which may be left without heat due to debts.