After months of airstrikes, restoring energy a priority: Ukraine

By Burc Eruygur

ISTANBUL (AA) – After months of Russian airstrikes targeting utilities that have left millions of Ukrainians without power, restoring energy will remain a priority item for Ukraine’s government, according to the nation’s president.

“(The) energy sector is a permanent item on our agenda – both at the staff and government levels,” Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an address late Wednesday.

Noting that he held a meeting on the stabilization of the energy system and the protection of Ukrainian power plants, Zelenskyy said they are increasing the generation and supply of electricity by adding more volume to the country’s energy system “almost every day.”

But due to the extensive damage to electrical systems from Russian attacks, he cautioned: “We should not forget – and everyone should not forget – that it is now impossible to restore 100% of the energy system as it was before … We need time. That is why shutdown schedules remain in most cities and districts.”

Zelenskyy also said the biggest number of shutdowns will be in the capital Kyiv and its surroundings and the Lviv, Zhytomyr, Khmelnytskyi, Poltava, Vinnytsia, and Zakarpattia regions.

“I thank all our energy workers, repairmen, businesses, utility workers and local authorities who are doing everything they can to make things easier for people,” Zelenskyy further noted.

Also, in a meeting with military leaders, Zelenskyy said that he heard analyses of the situation in specific areas, notably in the Bakhmut district of the eastern Donetsk region.

“A very fierce confrontation is ongoing there, every meter counts,” Zelenskyy said, adding that they also spoke about the current situation in the Luhansk and Kharkiv regions.​​​​​​​