U.S. allocates $825M in assistance for Ukraine's energy infrastructure this year

The United States has allocated $825 million this year for the restoration of Ukraine's energy system, which has been heavily damaged by Russian attacks.

U.S. Chargé d'Affaires at the OSCE, Katherine Brucker, announced this during a meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna on Thursday, according to Ukrinform.

"In 2022 and 2023, Ukraine's humanitarian needs significantly increased over the coldest winter months.  This winter could be the most challenging yet. To help address the most urgent needs over the next year, the United States in September announced 325 million dollars in new energy assistance for Ukraine's energy infrastructure," she said.

According to the U.S. diplomat, this assistance will repair and restore Ukraine's power generation facilities damaged by Russia's attacks, provide emergency backup power for critical services like water and heat, and strengthen the physical security of critical infrastructure.

"This is in addition to the 500 million dollars we announced at the Ukraine Peace Summit in June," Brucker added.

She stressed that not only will the United States support Ukraine and its people through the coming winter, "but we and our partners will also hold Russia accountable for the human and economic costs of its attacks."

"Russia will pay for the damage it has inflicted," she said.

Brucker recalled that Russia's attacks had caused more than $10 billion of damage to Ukraine's energy system and Russia's missile and drone strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have escalated as winter draws near.

"UN human rights monitors estimated that Russia's repeated attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure might uproot an additional 500,000 people ahead of the coming winter due to lack of basic services," the diplomat said.

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