News Feed

Russia has destroyed all thermal power plants, nearly all hydroelectric capacity in Ukraine ahead of winter, Zelensky says

2 min read
Russian forces destroyed all thermal power plants and almost all hydroelectric capacity in Ukraine on the eve of winter.
This photograph taken on Sept. 11, 2024, shows Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky attending the Fourth Crimea Platform Leaders Summit in Kyiv amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (Leon Neal/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Russia destroyed all thermal power plants and almost all hydroelectric capacity in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sept. 25 during his speech at the U.N. General Assembly in New York.

Russia launched nine coordinated attacks against Ukraine's electricity infrastructure between March and August, striking facilities in 20 oblasts.

According to an International Energy Agency (IEA) report, Ukraine's electricity shortage could reach 6 gigawatts this winter as a result of the attacks, which is about one-third of the expected peak demand. This summer, the power shortage was 2.5 GW when Kyiv was already experiencing long blackouts.

"This is how Putin is preparing for winter — hoping to torment millions, millions of Ukrainians… Ordinary families — women, children… Ordinary towns, ordinary villages," Zelensky said.

"Putin wants to leave them in the dark and cold this winter, forcing Ukraine to suffer and surrender. Just imagine, please, your country with 80 percent of its energy system gone — with such a destroyed part of the system. What kind of life would that be?" the president added.

From October 2022 to September 2024, Ukraine's energy infrastructure facilities suffered 1024 Russian attacks, according to the Energy Ministry.

Zelensky told the U.N. Security Council on Sept. 24 that Russia was preparing to target three Ukrainian nuclear power plants.

There are three operating nuclear power plants on the Ukrainian-held territory — the Rivne and Khmelnytskyi plants in the country's west, and the Pivdennoukrainsk plant in the south. Russia's regular attacks put their safety in jeopardy by cutting off power to the units.

According to the Energy Ministry, nuclear generation currently accounts for up to 60% of the country's electricity consumption.

The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, Europe's largest nuclear power station, has been under Russian occupation since March 2022.

Russia continues construction of naval base in occupied Abkhazia, Ukraine hints it will be legitimate target
Last October, President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine would strike Russia’s Black Sea Fleet wherever it will be stationed — implying that could also include occupied parts of Georgia, where Russia has kept a garrison and is rumored to be constructing a naval base. “We will reach them everywh…
Article image
News Feed
 (Updated:  )

U.S. President Donald Trump's remarks come after the Financial Times (FT) reported, citing undisclosed sources, that he asked President Volodymyr Zelensky whether Kyiv could strike Moscow or St. Petersburg if provided with long-range U.S. weapons.

"The stolen data includes confidential questionnaires of the company's employees, and most importantly, full technical documentation on the production of drones, which was handed over to the relevant specialists of the Ukrainian Defense Forces," a source in Ukraine's military intelligence told the Kyiv Independent.

Show More