“One step away from a shutdown”: all of eastern Ukraine and Kyiv could be plunged into darkness – WP

Kyiv and eastern Ukraine are close to a total power shutdown.

This is reported by The Washington Post, citing sources.

“Right now we are one step away from a complete power outage in Kyiv,” a person familiar with the situation in the energy sector told the newspaper.

There is a serious risk that the systems transmitting electricity from the west, where most generation is now concentrated, to the east could fail — effectively splitting the country into two separate “energy islands.”

“We are, if not on the verge of a complete blackout in the east of the country, then very close to it,” a senior European diplomat told the paper.

According to the article, the Kremlin “is pursuing a strategy of creating [energy] islands” so that certain regions “are cut off from any electricity generation and supply, as well as from the existing transmission system.”

Experts were unable to predict how many more strikes Russia would need to bring the situation to that point.

The situation is being worsened by the weakening of Ukraine’s air defenses, which could make it harder to protect what remains of the power grid.

Earlier, we cited a forecast from an expert who said that even with a modest frost of –5°C, Kyiv would be left without electricity for 20–22 hours a day — and such temperatures are expected in the coming weeks, according to weather forecasts.