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Ukraine’s power system, still weakened by last winter’s Russian strikes, is working at maximum capacity in the cold weather.
ADVERTISEMENTSevere winter weather in Ukraine has left more than 1,000 towns and villages without electricity and the country’s grid operator has urged residents to conserve power.
Ukrenergo says thermal power plants, which accounted for about a third of the country’s electricity before the war, were still recovering from last winter’s Russian strikes.
With the power system already working at maximum capacity, Ukraine has had to import electricity from neighbouring countries to meet demand.
Bad weather has also caused damage to distribution networks, with frost, thick layers of ice, and strong winds hampering repair works.
The grid operator said people should avoid using several electrical appliances at once to avoid putting further strain on the system.
Electricity consumption hit peak levels this week as temperatures in parts of the country fell to -15 degrees Celsius.
Russia’s escalation of missile and drone attacks in recent weeks is also stretching Ukraine’s air defence resources.
Analysts have warned that Moscow was stockpiling cruise missiles in preparation for the winter air campaign – as bad weather prevents advances on the ground.
Ukraine again this week said it urgently needed more ammunition for its air defences in order to withstand the intense attacks.
However, US President Joe Biden’s attempt to send Kyiv billions of dollars in further aid is stuck in Congress, while Europe’s pledge to provide Ukraine with one million artillery shells within 12 months has come up short.
The question of more air defence missiles is expected to be a key topic at a NATO-Ukraine Council gathering at ambassador level in Brussels on Wednesday.
This meeting was requested by Ukraine in the wake of the recent uptick in Russian missile and drone attacks.
In his nightly address, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about the consequences of the current shelling.
“The terrorists must pay the highest price for terror, and Russia will pay,” he said. “I am sure that we will be able to strengthen our country, our air defence, and our cooperation with our partners on drones.”
But analysts note that Kyiv’s Western partners are finding it difficult to keep up, in particular with the production of missiles.
Also on the agenda of Wednesday’s meeting will be the operation of a corridor to export Ukrainian grain after Russia withdrew from a UN-brokered deal to allow grain ships through its blockade.
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