Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure forced emergency power cuts across most of the country on Wednesday, grid operator Ukrenergo said, an extension of controls already put in place on Tuesday.
Russia has stepped up strikes on Ukraine’s energy and rail networks as winter approaches, raising fears that millions of people could be without power in freezing temperatures.
“Because of the complicated situation for Ukraine’s energy system, emergency electricity cuts have been imposed in all regions” except for Donetsk in the east, the centre of most of the fighting, Ukrenergo posted on Telegram.
Cuts had already been implemented in eight Ukraine regions on Tuesday, following several imposed across the country last week.
“Emergency repair work is underway in all the regions affected by the bombardments,” Ukrenergo said, urging people to use electricity “sparingly”.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Moscow of trying to sow chaos with the strikes, which have also harmed the gas sector.
Ukraine regularly targets oil refineries and hydrocarbon pipelines in Russia with drones, a strategy that has caused fuel prices in the country to surge since the summer.
Wait a bit more and they will have a winter in the cold and darkness. They should move to UK, Germany , Poland and France. After all, this is who they are fighting for.