As winter approaches and temperatures drop, Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure have intensified, with approximately 60 recent incidents, raising concerns in Ukraine.
Fearing a sustained campaign of power grid attacks, Ukrainian officials are making preparations for a challenging winter. Last year, Ukraine experienced widespread blackouts due to a barrage of Russian drones and missiles targeting its power sector.
Ukraine's Energy Minister, German Galushchenko, currently in the United States, is in discussions with international partners on strategies to navigate the critical winter months. The Western allies have increased the supply of air defenses to counter the ongoing threat.
According to the energy ministry, energy infrastructure facilities have been targeted 60 times in recent weeks, resulting in increased demand for energy equipment and emphasizing the importance of assistance from international partners.
While Ukraine has improved its air defenses for this winter, its energy system remains vulnerable due to the damage sustained during last year's attacks. Ukrainian intelligence suggests that Russia has stockpiled hundreds of missiles, raising concerns about a potential winter air campaign.
Recent attacks included the shelling of a thermal power station in the east and damage to electricity distribution networks in the Donetsk, Kharkiv, and Kherson regions. Natural gas distribution networks in the Dnipropetrovsk region were also affected. Although these attacks have not yet led to nationwide blackouts, officials anticipate an escalation of attacks as winter approaches.
Ukraine's national grid operator, Ukrenergo, reported a rise in power consumption as temperatures decreased. A 2.5-degree Celsius drop in temperature resulted in a 1.5% increase in energy consumption. Despite experiencing unusually warm autumn weather, with temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius, 431 settlements remain without electricity due to combat actions in various regions. Photo by Mvs.gov.ua, Wikimedia commons.