Russia is destroying the energy sector. Kyiv warns of collapse and calls for a truce

Ukrainians are facing one of the harshest winters in recent years. While temperatures in the north and east of the country are falling below -20 °C, Russia continues its attacks on energy infrastructure, depriving millions of people of electricity and heat.

According to MP Andriy Gerus, the next three weeks will be the most critical. Kyiv, Kharkiv, and other cities are facing frequent outages.

Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said that 610,000 households in the capital alone were left without electricity. According to DTEK, a private investor in the energy industry, the situation is close to a humanitarian crisis.

Ukraine is calling for a so-called energy truce. New solar capacity, which has already exceeded the output of nuclear power plants, offers a glimmer of hope, but its output depends on the weather.

President Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted that the country is currently only able to cover 60 percent of its energy needs.

(reuters, pir)