President Volodymyr Zelensky stated on Thursday a series of actions to safeguard Ukraine energy infrastructure, including the protection of facilities under Russian fire and the creation of renewable energy alternatives.
In his nightly video message, Zelensky stated, “We must save life in Ukraine, and that specifically involves ensuring energy security.”
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Russia attacked Ukraine energy infrastructure during the first winter of the conflict, which began in February 2022, and resumed its assault on energy targets last March, when Ukraine inventory of Western air defense missiles ran short.
According to government figures, drone and missile attacks have knocked down half of the electricity generation capacity since March.
The Energy Ministry reported that attacks affected four districts overnight on Thursday, cutting electricity to more than 218,000 customers.
Volodymyr Zelensky presented measures to reduce the impacts of such attacks, which included a program to create solar energy, energy storage facilities, and Ukraine energy infrastructure as well as a timeline for important infrastructure locations to develop alternate energy sources.
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He stated that the work needed to be finished before winter and the higher energy consumption that comes with the changing of seasons.
Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the administration will “continue to work on creating fresh energy sources and new decentralized energy capacities”. It also included “the construction of new balanced and maneuverable energy facilities.”
“This task is very demanding during wartime circumstances, yet we need to carry it out just as we accomplished numerous other tough endeavors,” he stated.
Volodymyr Zelensky also stated that steps to secure existing energy plants were in the works.
Russia claims that energy infrastructure is a valid military target, but denies attacking civilians or civilian infrastructure.
