President of DiXi Group Olena Pavlenko, stressed this during the European Policy Centre’s Blackouts and Bombs: Russia’s Assault on Ukraine’s Critical Infrastructure Policy Dialogue, moderated by ECP Senior Policy Analyst, Deputy Head of Europe in the World Programme Amanda Paul.
“If in the first two years since the beginning of the full-scale invasion there were more attacks on balancing generation, thermal power plants and hydroelectric power plants, during the last two years the Russians have been attacking everything and at all levels: electricity and gas production, heat supply, etc.,” DiXi Group President states.
In addition to the intensification of Russian energy terror, the situation is complicated by a rather cold winter, unlike previous ones. Due to this and with the aim of causing a humanitarian catastrophe, the enemy is launching constant attacks on Kyiv, depriving its residents of light and heat in sub-zero temperatures.
Other targets of Russian attacks include repair crews which eliminate damage while often risking their own lives, and the western regions of Ukraine, including key substations around nuclear power plants, to deny us the ability to import electricity from European countries.
Not only are there more strikes, but also more missiles and drones that the Russians use during them. Under such conditions, protecting energy facilities becomes extremely difficult. According to Olena Pavlenko, first of all, our country needs:
- better protection, both active (air defense systems) and passive;
- faster supply of necessary equipment for the fastest possible replacement of damaged equipment;
- stronger sanctions, in the nuclear sector in particular.
Olena Pavlenko also emphasized that Ukraine lacks specialists to restore energy infrastructure, and our partners abroad need more decisive measures against the Russian energy industry, primarily nuclear, which is still avoiding the necessary sanctions
