Russia shells Kherson CHP plant again, leaving city’s heating situation critical
Photo: Naftogaz of Ukraine

Russian forces have once again shelled the Kherson Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant, leaving the city’s heating situation critical, Ukrainian officials said.

On Sunday, January 25, Russian troops attacked the Kherson CHP plant using artillery and drones, according to Serhiy Koretskyi, chairman of the board of Naftogaz of Ukraine, which owns the facility.

"The heating situation in Kherson is among the most critical," Koretskyi wrote on Facebook.

The CHP plant had been the sole centralized source of heat for tens of thousands of residents in Kherson. Those who remain in the city are now attempting to rely on alternative heating options, including electric and gas heaters.

Oleksandr Prokudin, head of the Kherson Regional Military Administration, said the intensity of Russian shelling in the city has increased in recent weeks.

"Russians are now using Molniya drones more actively. Up to 20 of these drones can strike a critical infrastructure facility in a single day. They are also used as ‘mother drones’ that carry FPV drones and release them to extend their range," Prokudin said during Ukraine’s national telethon on Monday."Artillery strikes occur daily, as do MLRS attacks. If you live in Kherson, you hear explosions every couple of minutes."

  • Kherson’s CHP plant was the city’s primary heat producer. In early December, it was shut down due to shelling, leaving 470 residential buildings — more than 40,500 subscribers — without heating.
  • Before Russia’s full-scale invasion, Kherson had a population of nearly 280,000. By mid-2025, the number of residents had fallen to fewer than 65,000, with people of retirement age accounting for roughly two-thirds of the remaining population.