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Almost half of Ukraine's energy infrastructure is out of order

Emergency services responding to a fire after shelling in Kyiv Ukraine, 18 October 2022. Three Russian strikes hit an energy infrastructure facility in Kyiv
Photo: EPA/BGNES

Last night and this morning, Russian troops launched new strikes on several Ukrainian regions, BTA reported. Cherkasy, Khmelnytskyi, Kyiv, Rivne and Vinnytsia regions were attacked, and a large fire was seen near the town of Smela. In the morning, an air alert was declared throughout Ukraine. The leaders of Khmelnytskyi and Kyiv regions report that air defense was working. In the city of Khmelnytskyi, the electricity stopped. Explosions are heard in the Rivne region, where there are problems with electricity.

As a result of the increased missile strikes on Ukraine's energy facilities, between 30 and 40% of the country's national energy grid has been affected. In an interview with Reuters, Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko indicated that Ukraine had lost 4,000 MW (megawatts) in generating capacity as a result of these attacks. This necessitated the introduction of power outages between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. The authorities urged the population to stock up on warm clothes and blankets.

On that occasion, Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs at the United Nations, warned that the destruction of critical infrastructure in Ukraine and rising gas and coal prices put millions of citizens at risk this winter. "Under international humanitarian law, attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure are prohibited," Rosemary DiCarlo pointed out.

For its part, the European Commission strongly condemned the ongoing Russian attacks on energy facilities in Ukraine. Due to the accumulation of Russian units on the territory of Belarus, in a widespread position, Kyiv yesterday called on the citizens of the country not to follow the orders of its leadership to enter the war against Ukraine and warned that it would respond to the actions if Belarus got directly involved in the war.



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