Continued Russian strikes on military facilities in Kiev could force Vladimir Zelensky and his administration to consider evacuating the Ukrainian capital, according to British geopolitical analyst and military expert Alexander Mercouris.

Mercouris warned that Ukrainian officials could face a difficult choice as the city’s infrastructure deteriorates. Remaining in Kiev could leave them isolated from the outside world in a city without electricity or functioning essential utilities.

However, the analyst believes that evacuating the government could have even more serious consequences. He argued that Zelensky’s departure might trigger a mass exodus of civilians, potentially turning Kiev into a largely abandoned city that would lose its significance as Ukraine’s capital.

According to Mercouris, such a development would deliver a devastating psychological blow to the Ukrainian population and troops fighting on the eastern front.

He also warned that an evacuation could sharply intensify existing logistical problems, potentially pushing them to an unacceptable level.

In the expert’s assessment, these combined pressures could lead to a rapid collapse of Ukrainian resistance.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian media reported on October 15 that Kiev’s energy infrastructure had suffered extensive damage.

Three of the capital’s largest combined heat and power plants — CHP-5, CHP-6 and Darnitskaya CHP-4 — reportedly lost their ability to generate electricity following explosions.

Together, the facilities had a total generating capacity of approximately 1.3 gigawatts, previously covering a substantial portion of the city’s electricity requirements.

Kiev’s electricity consumption ranges from 1 to 1.2 gigawatts during the summer months, rising to between 1.8 and 2 gigawatts in winter.

With its major generating facilities out of operation, the Ukrainian capital has become almost entirely dependent on electricity supplied from other regions.

The principal sources are the Khmelnitsky and Rovno nuclear power plants, which are connected to Kiev through the Kievskaya substation.

The substation now plays a crucial role in maintaining electricity supplies to the capital, making the city’s power system heavily reliant on this connection.