Ukraine's energy sector in its worst state since November 2022, Shmyhal says

The situation in Ukraine's energy sector was at its worst yesterday since November 2022, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said. The worst conditions are in Kyiv and the Kyiv and Dnipropetrovsk regions, he said.

Ukraine's energy system is in an extremely serious situation because of constant Russian attacks targeting power plants, the transmission and distribution grids, and transformer substations. "Today was the most difficult day for Ukraine's energy system since the blackout in November 2022," Shmyhal said. Ukraine has faced large-scale Russian military aggression since February of that year.

Russia is systematically destroying Ukraine's energy infrastructure as the country is gripped by severe frosts. People are left without electricity, heat or water for days at a time.

Shmyhal also said he understood that people were tired and stressed by the constant Russian attacks. But he added that attacks on repair workers were unacceptable.

The Ukrinform news agency reported that police in Vinnytsia region are investigating an attack on an employee of an energy company in the town of Mohyliv-Podilskyi, on the border with Moldova. A video appeared on social media showing a protest against power cuts that ended with the head of the regional energy supplier being attacked.

Russia says its attacks are intended to cut Ukraine's military-industrial complex off from energy supplies, but many believe its aim is also to break the Ukrainian population.