Ukraine will be without electricity for 4 to 18 hours daily in winter – UN report

According to experts surveyed by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU), power outages this winter are expected to last from 4 to 18 hours daily.

This is stated in the relevant report by UN observers.

“This winter will be very challenging. People will likely face regular power outages across the country. Any new attacks that result in longer outages could have catastrophic consequences,” said Danielle Bell, Head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine.

Bell stated that the consequences of the attacks would be long-lasting and require a comprehensive approach.

“National and international partners must unite efforts to restore critical infrastructure and hold those responsible for the damage accountable,” she said.

The report, based on site visits, interviews with technical experts, energy company representatives, local residents, and officials, describes the far-reaching consequences of Russian attacks.

It is noted that in winter, the consequences of the destruction of the energy system could be even more serious than in summer due to low temperatures. According to experts interviewed by the HRMMU, due to the generation deficit, power outages in winter will last from 4 to 18 hours daily.

As of June, 73% of the country’s thermal power plants were out of operation. While attacks in the winter of 2022-2023 primarily targeted transmission facilities, since March 2024, the main targets have been generation facilities.

According to one major energy company cited in the report, the attacks in 2024 damaged three times more power units than in the winter of 2022-2023.