In bitterly cold Ukraine, attacks on power sites are now a regular occurrencepublished at 08:12 Greenwich Mean Time
Will Vernon
Reporting from Kyiv
Image source, Getty ImagesA thermal power plant was damaged during a missile attack in Ukraine earlier this month
It is bitterly cold this Christmas morning in Ukraine, and we’re already receiving reports of power cuts in several regions as the authorities try to limit the knock-on effects of the large-scale attack.
Strikes on power plants have become a regular occurrence in Ukraine. In September, President Zelensky said 80% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been destroyed by Russian bombs. Since then, there’s been no let-up in the shelling.
Repair crews have been working under pressure – and under fire – to keep the lights on in the country. Last week, on national Energy Workers’ Day, Zelensky thanked those Ukrainians “working to bring light…and warmth to our homes”.
He pledged to restore the damaged facilities. “But all of this is just the superstructure,” continued the president, “at the foundation lies the daily heroism of people like you, your colleagues, and the entire energy sector. We are proud of you.”
And Ukraine is coming up with innovative solutions to cope with the onslaught.
One state-owned company says it’s planning to build a hydroelectric power plant underground, to keep it safe from missiles and drones. Other companies are working on ground-breaking energy storage devices that can also be protected from the air.
But that takes time. In the short term, President Zelensky has said Ukraine urgently needs 10-12 additional “Patriot” air defence systems in order to keep its cities – and its power grid – safe from Russian attacks.
So far, Western countries have promised to provide far less than that.