What happened
On February 12–13 the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) conducted searches twice at the main office of "Kyivteploenergo" on the basis of a single court order, UNN reports, citing the Kyiv City State Administration. Earlier, the capital was hit by a large-scale combined attack that damaged critical energy facilities and left a significant part of the city temporarily without heat.
"Because the central office was shut down, coordination of staff and structural units has been disrupted. At the most critical moment for the city, the processes necessary to restore heat supply were effectively blocked. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, this is already the 103rd procedural action at the enterprise."
— Kyiv City State Administration
According to the KCSA, during the searches SBU officers seized technical documentation and draft contracts that are necessary to repair damaged facilities and connect new equipment. The city authorities estimate that restoring these documents will take considerable time and slow down the work.
At one critical infrastructure site, a 66-year-old employee of Kyivteploenergo died during operations — a fact that adds a human dimension to the problem of restoring services.
Why this matters
For residents: delays in repairs mean colder apartments and greater risks for vulnerable groups. For the city: delays in connecting new equipment slow the return of stable heat supply and increase costs for temporary solutions.
Energy sector experts remind that technical documentation is not a mere formality. It contains connection diagrams, equipment passports, and safe start-up instructions, without which the risks during restoration increase. This explains why the KCSA regards the seizure as a factor that hinders the work.
"This negates all the efforts of energy workers and the city authorities, because restoring the seized documents will take significant time, which will hold back restoration work and the connection of new equipment."
— Kyiv City State Administration
Context and possible consequences
The searches took place amid an investigation following missile and cyberattacks, highlighting the tension between the need for national security investigations and the need for rapid technical response. Interaction between law enforcement and technical services must follow clear protocols so as not to undermine the operation of critical infrastructure during a crisis.
It is also worth noting the number: this is already the 103rd procedural action regarding the company since the start of the full-scale aggression — a signal that Kyivteploenergo is subject to systematic judicial and legal scrutiny. This affects the organisation’s operational resilience during the war.
What’s next
Quick coordinated decisions are needed: prioritising the return of critical documentation or providing its copies to responsible units so that restoration is not held up by procedural issues. At the same time — transparent information to the public about the progress of the investigation and the technical risks.
For now, thousands of Kyiv residents are feeling the consequences. The question remains: can a balance be struck between national security and the speed of restoring critical infrastructure while the war continues?
