Ukrainians Encouraged to Use Heated Sex Toys to Cope With Extreme Winter Cold

Ukrainian citizens have been urged to consider using heated sex toys as an alternative way to keep warm amid severe winter conditions and ongoing electricity shortages caused by the war.

The advice came from Svetlana Paveletskaya, the partner of former Ukrainian Foreign Affairs Minister Dmitry Kuleba, who suggested that modern sex toys equipped with heating features could help people cope with the cold, especially at night.

Kuleba, 43, served as Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs from March 2020 until September 2024, when he resigned during a government restructuring process.

Electricity Shortages Deepen Winter Hardship

Paveletskaya made the remarks as Ukraine continues to face widespread power outages, leaving many households unable to heat their homes during extreme winter weather.

Ukraine has been struggling with sub-zero temperatures, with thermometers dropping to minus 10 degrees Celsius in several regions.

As a businesswoman who owns a sex toy shop, Paveletskaya was discussing innovations in the industry and how some products could be used beyond their traditional purpose.

“There are sex toys with temperature control. We encourage people to use them at night when the cold is intense. Some can heat up to 38 degrees Celsius,” she said.

“If you don’t have heating, you can rely on vibrators to maintain warmth at a level that suits you.”

Kyiv Facing Long Power Cuts

The Mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, confirmed that the capital currently has access to only half of the electricity it needs, resulting in households being without power for 16 to 18 hours a day.

Klitschko added that in January alone, more than 600,000 people left Kyiv, a city with a population exceeding three million, due to the harsh living conditions.

War-Related Attacks Behind Energy Crisis

Ukraine’s energy crisis has been largely caused by Russian strikes targeting power infrastructure and military production facilities across the country.

Russia has stated that the attacks were carried out in retaliation for Ukrainian strikes on civilian targets and critical infrastructure inside Russian territory.

As winter conditions worsen, Ukrainian authorities and civilians continue searching for creative survival strategies, highlighting the depth of the humanitarian challenges caused by the prolonged conflict.