This winter, Ukrainians should expect blackouts lasting from 4 to 18 hours - UN

From March to August, Russia executed ine waves of large-scale, complex, and coordinated attacks on energy facilities in 20 regions of Ukraine and in Kyiv. This can cause power outages lasting from 4 to 18 hours per day in the upcoming winter.

This was stated by the head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, Danielle Bell, who spoke at the presentation of the report on attacks on energy infrastructure and negative consequences for the civilian population to representatives of the diplomatic corps and international organizations, reports an Ukrinform correspondent.

Bell noted that the report focused on this year's attacks, which were aimed at disabling power generation and transmission systems in Ukraine.

Some facilities were repeatedly hit until they were fully disabled. The attacks were complex, involving missiles, drones, and barraging munitions, launched from the air, sea and land, which indicates a high level of military coordination, said the head of the Monitoring Mission.

She added that Russian officials publicly admitted that they had struck certain infrastructure targets.

According to Bell, in terms of targets, there are several key differences between the attacks in the winter of 2022-2023 and this year: last winter, Russian attacks were primarily aimed at energy transmission facilities, and in 2024, the emphasis shifted to the destruction of power generation sites.

As a result of the attacks in 2024, three times more TPP power units were damaged than in the winter of 2022-2023. Some 73% of thermal power units were disabled. Attacks on hydroelectric power plants and dams also tripled in 2024 compared to the previous period, stated the head of the Monitoring Mission.

The mission recorded 36 strikes targeting electricity generation facilities, including 25 TPPs and CHPs in nine regions, seven HPPs in five regions, two renewable energy facilities in one region, and two thermal power plants in two regions.

Bell also emphasized that Ukraine's centralized infrastructure systems are interconnected, so when electricity generation facilities are affected and power grid capacity is reduced, a domino effect occurs, which affects many areas.

This winter, Ukrainians should expect power outages lasting from four to 18 hours a day, the head of the Mission warned.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, as of September 19, more than 14,000 consumers in seven regions were in blackout due to Russian shelling.