In winter, Ukraine will have no electricity until 18 hours a day: UN forecast
19 September 2024 13:09
Russian air strikes on Ukraine’s power grid violate international humanitarian law. Ukrainians have been preparing for a harsh winter since Russia’s invasion. This is reported by "Komersant Ukrainian", citing a report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU).
While the 2022-2023 Russian attacks were mainly aimed at power transmission facilities, the 2024 attacks largely targeted power generation facilities. According to a major energy company, the 2024 attacks damaged three times as many of its thermal power plants as in the winter of 2022-2023.
The shelling severely damaged or destroyed key power plants and transmission facilities. As of June 2024, 73% of Ukraine’s thermal power units
were out of commission due to significant damage. In addition, 20 hydroelectric units at hydroelectric power plants were also decommissioned.
The UN noted that the consequences would be significantly worse in winter. Winter in Ukraine lasts from mid-October to mid-April, with days in each region when temperatures drop below -10°C and sometimes below -20°C. The cold weather and short daylight hours mean that energy consumption increases by 20-25% in winter.
According to the HRMMU experts, Ukrainians should expect power cuts lasting from four to 18 hours a day this winter.
“There are reasonable grounds to believe that numerous aspects of the military campaign to damage or destroy Ukraine’s civilian electricity and heat generation and transmission infrastructure violate fundamental principles of international humanitarian law,” the report says.
The HRMMU reported that it visited seven power plants that had been damaged or destroyed as a result of the attacks, as well as 28 settlements affected by the strikes.
The HRMMU stated that the attacks pose a threat to Ukraine’s water supply, sewerage and sanitation, heating and hot water, public health, education and the economy as a whole.
