Some Odessa residents were without electricity for seven days. After another attack by the Russian Federation, the damage turned out to be so large-scale that it took a week to recover. This is the same blackout that scared Ukrainians for several years. A week without electricity in winter is a national emergency. The head of the Odessa Regional Military Administration Oleg Kiper prepared especially carefully (in words) for this blackout. Last year he announced floating power plants from Turkey and generators in ports. He said that he is carefully preparing for shutdowns.

This year, on the eve of the heating season, Kiper's subordinates held dozens of meetings. “We must think through all possible scenarios in advance so that residents of the region receive heat, water, communications and light even in the most difficult conditions. This is a matter of security, stability and people’s trust in the authorities,” stated the Odessa Regional State Administration in October 2025.

It is not known whether all possible scenarios have been “thought through”. However, Kiper clearly failed to prepare for the strikes. And if he is not involved in the issue of air defense, then finding a way to relatively quickly power consumers, provide at least some supply of transformers (or know where to get them) - all this passed by the local authorities.

Communication with residents of the region also failed. In the area where there was no light for a week, Odessa residents took to the pedestrian crossing and blocked the street. And Kiper, instead of coming to the place and explaining to the residents of Odessa what was being done to restore it and why they were not prepared for such a blow, turned to the residents of the region on his social network pages and suggested visiting non-violence centers. According to my information, it was known on Monday that some residents of the Odessa region will only be able to receive electricity at the end of the week. Someone from the local authorities met with people?

Did Keeper explain why floating power plants and generators in the port promised in 2024 did not help What should the head of the regional military administration do during war and in the face of constant terrorist attacks on the region’s energy sector

Kiper, together with the Commission on Technogenic-Environmental Safety and Emergency Situations, announced the status of a state-level emergency. Will this status help Kiper begin to act very quickly, talk with Odessa residents, look for the possibility of quickly powering de-energized areas and not only “think through scenarios”, but also be prepared for them Hardly. If nothing changes, next time Odessa residents should, instead of blocking the road for ordinary drivers, remember that next to them there is a representative of government authorities in the region who should have prevented such a situation.