EBRD warns of a difficult winter in Ukraine due to Russian shelling
13 October 14:46
The recent Russian shelling of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure creates new challenges for the country ahead of the heating season. This was stated by the President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), Odile Renaud-Basso, in an interview with Euronews, "Komersant Ukrainian" reports
According to her, a few days ago Ukraine was well prepared for the winter, but a new wave of attacks on gas and oil facilities has significantly complicated the situation.
“We are facing a new challenge. A few days ago, the country was very well prepared. But the new attack has created a new problem, so it is important to continue to strengthen the system and be on the alert,” Renaud-Basso said.
This is the fourth winter that Ukraine has gone through since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022. The EBRD has been working with Naftogaz to ensure sufficient gas supplies, but the latest Russian strikes have left several regions, including Kyiv, without power.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the attacks “cynical and planned.” The Energy Minister said that Ukraine will increase natural gas imports by 30% to compensate for the losses.
Effective response and new financing
The EBRD has already invested more than €8.3 billion in Ukraine since the war began, including in strengthening energy security, supporting the banking sector and agriculture.
Renaud-Basso noted that despite the constant attacks, Ukraine has been responding extremely quickly, repairing key infrastructure, decentralizing the energy system, and creating new storage facilities to reduce risks.
But still, she emphasized, Russia continues to attack energy infrastructure:
“A few days ago, Ukraine experienced the largest attack on its gas infrastructure, and this has created a new problem.”
According to Bloomberg, the strikes in Poltava and Kharkiv regions damaged up to 60% of the country’s gas production, although this has not been officially confirmed. Naftogaz CEO Serhiy Koretsky called it “the largest attack on gas infrastructure since the beginning of the war.”
The EBRD plans to provide Naftogaz with new financing for emergency gas imports to avoid shortages during the cold weather, when temperatures often drop below zero.
“As an institution, as a bank and as countries supporting Ukraine, we have to be very flexible in defining the response and providing support depending on the priorities,” Reno-Basso said.
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Post-war recovery
The EBRD President also confirmed that the bank plans to invest at least €3 billion annually in Ukraine’s post-war recovery, but emphasized that this requires a stable peace.
“For real recovery, it is important to have clear visibility and confidence that the war will not start again,” she said.
The EBRD has not invested in Russia since 2014 after the annexation of Crimea and suspended cooperation with Belarus in 2022 due to its support for the Russian invasion.
In April 2022, the bank also suspended Belarus’ access to its resources due to its support for Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
When asked whether the situation could change in the event of a ceasefire and a lasting peace agreement, Renaud-Basso said:
“We have suspended all investment and financial relations with Russia and Belarus, and I don’t see that the current circumstances will allow us to start them again.”
As you know, a conflict arose between the Kyiv City State Administration and MPs over the protection of the capital’s energy sector: details, accusations and responses are in the article by Kommersant Ukrainian .
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