Kyiv eases draft rules for some energy workers as Russian attacks deepen crisis
Some of Ukraine’s key energy workers will be exempt from military service, as the country grapples with the fallout of Russia’s devastating strikes on its energy facilities during its coldest winter of the war.
The government has allowed companies that manufacture and repair transformer equipment to retain 100% of their draft-eligible employees, Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko said on Feb. 5.
Kyiv also loosened the requirements for "critical" status, allowing more companies to exempt workers from military service. Now, companies only have to meet two criteria instead of three.
"This will allow manufacturers of equipment that are critical for the rapid restoration of energy facilities to operate smoothly," she wrote on her Telegram channel.
As Russia continues to wage its brutal war on Ukraine, the country has continued mobilization efforts covering men aged 25-60 years old. As a result, many male-dominated industries, including those in the energy sector, are suffering a workforce deficit.
A lack of energy specialists has contributed to donated energy generation equipment lying unused across the country, the Kyiv Independent recently reported. This has exacerbated the current energy crisis, which further intensified after Russia damaged 8.5 gigawatts of generation capacity since October.
At the same time, Ukraine’s energy workers are in a constant battle of fixing and repairing energy equipment before Russian strikes destroy them again. This has led to a shortage of equipment, including specific types of transformers, both domestically and abroad, with Ukraine now ramping up its own production.
The issue of exemptions is a hot topic in Ukraine’s business community. While some companies that meet the "critical" criteria can reserve all their staff, others may only protect a section of their workforce.
Some companies, including in the energy sector, don’t have any protected status for their employees.
