“People will die in their homes”: Ukraine may face power outages of up to 20 hours this winter – Politico

Ukraine could face up to 20 hours a day without electricity this winter if Russia targets its nuclear energy infrastructure and if the weather is cold.

This warned by Alexander Kharchenko, an energy advisor to the Ukrainian Cabinet, in an interview with “Politico.”

Kharchenko highlighted the severe implications of potential attacks on Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, which currently supply 60% of the country’s electricity. Missile strikes on the energy infrastructure that supports these plants could render them inoperable.

Gennadiy Riabtsev, chief research fellow at the National Institute for Strategic Studies and an expert on the energy market, reminded that Russia has already disabled eight power plants and over 800 heating facilities. He stated that the most realistic scenario for this winter involves restricting electricity supplies to both industry and households, limiting power availability to 8–14 hours per day.

“Russian strikes will undoubtedly continue, and there is no guarantee of protecting recently restored facilities from attacks… due to the lack of multilayered air and missile defense systems,” Riabtsev added.

A senior U.S. official mentioned that the United States expects a “very harsh winter” in Ukraine.

“We expect… a very harsh winter. People will die in their homes because Russia will take out the energy infrastructure,” the official told “Politico,” choosing to remain anonymous.

Experts also warn that Ukraine may lack adequate gas reserves for the winter. The situation is worsened by Western traders and companies being “reluctant to store gas this year due to repeated Russian attacks and less attractive profit margins.”

Since September, Ukraine has reported intelligence that Russia is preparing to strike nuclear substations, though such attacks have not yet occurred. Due to previous shelling, Ukraine’s energy system currently relies heavily on its nuclear power plants.