Russia is preparing a new wave of attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector, warns President Zelensky as winter approaches.
Russia’s Winter Attack Strategy
The announcement of further attacks on the energy sector aligns with Russia’s existing strategy, which focuses on power plants, transmission networks, and heating plants during winter periods, aiming to disrupt daily life and exert social pressure on the authorities in Kyiv.
Foreign Military Support for Ukraine
On the same day, Zelensky also announced military support provided to Ukraine by foreign partners. During a press conference following a meeting with Czech President Petr Pavel, he stated that Kyiv has received “significant support” in the form of a large number of missiles for air defense systems. This information emerged amidst intensifying Russian missile and drone attacks that regularly test Ukraine’s air defense capabilities.
Protecting Critical Infrastructure
For Ukrainian authorities, the delivery of ammunition and defense systems is crucial not only from a military security perspective but also for protecting critical infrastructure—power plants, heating networks, and water supplies—which depend on the functioning of cities during the winter period.
Civilian Resilience Points
In the face of threats and actual power outages, Ukrainian authorities have decided to expand the network of so-called “resilience points.” The president announced the creation of additional locations across the country where residents can warm up, drink hot beverages, and charge phones and other devices in case of power and heating shortages at home.
Relaxed Wartime Rules
On Friday, Ukrainian authorities also relaxed the rules of wartime law. Citizens are now allowed to move during the curfew only to reach resilience points. This decision is directly related to low temperatures and problems with heat and electricity supply that appeared after Russian attacks on energy facilities. The change is humanitarian, aiming to prevent residents deprived of heating from being forced to remain in dangerous conditions due to existing restrictions.
Energy Sector Challenges
On Friday, Ukrainian Vice Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal spoke about the state of the country’s energy sector. According to him, Ukraine has reserves sufficient for over 20 days, but the situation remains “very complicated.” The most difficult conditions are in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, as well as in the Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, and Kharkiv regions. A particularly difficult situation also affects areas near the front line, where infrastructure is regularly destroyed and repair work is carried out under fire.
Shmyhal’s statement highlights the scale of challenges Ukraine faces at the start of winter—on one hand, securing reserves and repairing infrastructure, and on the other, protecting energy facilities from further waves of Russian attacks.
