Uncleared roads and broken highways: what is happening to Ukrainian roads this winter
5 February 15:02
ANALYSIS FROM 
As of Thursday, February 5, the situation with road clearance in Ukraine is causing serious concern. After another round of snowfall and sharp temperature drops, many roads remain virtually impassable, and driving has become a risky adventure. This is evidenced not only by official reports, but also by numerous reports from drivers from different regions of the country, writes "Komersant Ukrainian".
One such story is a trip to Lviv. An eyewitness says that the road is in extremely poor condition: the navigation system warned every minute about “potholes ahead,” but in reality, these were not potholes, but actual ditches. The result was a flat tire in the middle of the road.
The situation is no better in the capital. In Kyiv and the Kyiv region, cars are skidding due to heavy snowfall on February 5. Due to bad weather and uncleared roads, the city and suburbs are stuck in traffic jams. Cars are stuck on the Zhytomyr and Warsaw highways from Bucha to Moshchun, as well as at the entrance to the capital from the Odessa highway. In Kyiv itself, cars are stuck and unable to climb hills, and the roads have turned into skating rinks.
According to local residents, it takes up to an hour and a half to get from Solomyanska to Pechersk — a route that normally takes much less time. The reason is snow and ice on the roads and the lack of timely work by public services. Drivers are forced to drive slowly, avoiding dangerous areas, which creates traffic jams and increases the number of accidents.
No less alarming signals are coming from the regions. Videos have already appeared from the Lviv-Ivano-Frankivsk highway, where drivers describe the condition of the road surface succinctly and accurately: “the road is a complete disaster.” Broken asphalt, slush, and lack of proper maintenance make this route dangerous even for experienced drivers.
Due to rain and sub-zero temperatures, the streets of Kalush and Burshtyn in the Ivano-Frankivsk region are covered with ice. Residents of these cities say that it takes them twice as long, and in some cases three times as long, to get to the bus stop, shop, or cemetery. Pensioners add that daily trips are becoming a “real challenge” for them.
In Burshtyn, utility workers are unable to keep up with clearing the city and sprinkling sidewalks and roads with sand and salt mixtures. In Kalush, utility workers continue to receive complaints from local residents.
From January 1 to February 4, 2026, 26 people were hospitalized at the Burshtyn City Hospital due to falls on icy roads. Twelve of them underwent surgery.
Reports are also coming in from other regions of Ukraine. Drivers from central regions complain about uncleared roads between cities. In the northern regions, numerous cars have skidded into ditches due to icy roads and the lack of proper road maintenance. In the east and south of the country, despite less precipitation, the problem is compounded by worn road surfaces, which deteriorate even further after winter and create a hazard for traffic.
