Ukraine Faces Persistent Blackouts Amid Russian Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

Kyiv, Ukraine – Since the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the country has faced severe disruptions in its energy supply, leading to frequent blackouts that now extend into spring and early summer. Ukrainian citizens, such as Kateryna Serzhan in Kyiv, have had to adapt their daily routines to cope with these outages.

Recent Russian attacks on energy infrastructure have exacerbated the situation. On June 21, Russia launched its eighth massive assault on Ukrainian power facilities over the past three months. The Ukrainian air force reported that 12 of 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia were intercepted, yet damage occurred in multiple regions including Zaporizhzhia, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. In these areas, energy equipment was damaged, with two energy workers injured and taken to hospital.

Ukraine has been attempting to mitigate the impact by purchasing energy from the European Union and seeking to import generators and gas turbines to support critical infrastructure. Nonetheless, these efforts have not sufficed to eliminate the need for planned nationwide blackouts intended to protect essential services like hospitals.

President Volodymyr Zelensky outlined the severity of the damage, stating that Russia had destroyed 9 GW of capacity—half of Ukraine’s peak winter consumption. Ukrainian officials, including Deputy Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk, have expressed the necessity for increased support from international allies to bolster Ukraine’s air defense and energy resilience.

In response to continuous Russian strikes, Ukraine has been making strides to protect its energy infrastructure. Concrete shelters are being constructed for critical equipment, and discussions with European partners are ongoing to secure additional electricity imports. Meanwhile, Ukrainian Railways and companies like Auchan Ukraine have adapted operations to conserve energy.

As Ukraine heads into the heating season, officials, including Dmytro Sakharuk of DTEK, warn that blackouts may become more severe without significant restoration and improvement of energy facilities and security measures.

The National Bank of Ukraine anticipates economic growth will slow due to the energy sector’s damage, with inflation expected to rise. Rebuilding the energy infrastructure could cost upwards of $50.5 billion, highlighting the immense challenge ahead for a nation under continuous threat.