Ukraine has lost half of its electricity production since winter, says Volodymyr Zelensky

Moscow considers Ukrainian electrical installations to be legitimate “military” targets.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russian bombing of his country’s energy infrastructure had led to Ukraine’s electricity production being halved since the winter. Traveling to Berlin (Germany) on Tuesday June 11, the leader again called for the delivery of more anti-aircraft defense systems to Ukraine. “Russian missile and drone strikes have already destroyed 9 gigawatts of capacity. Last winter’s peak electricity consumption was 18 gigawatts”he clarified.

According to him, 80% of thermal production and a third of hydroelectric production were destroyed by Russian strikes, which in recent months targeted numerous Ukrainian power plants, after a bombing campaign the previous year which had already led to massive cuts. Volodymyr Zelensky also accused Russia of targeting gas storage facilities and systems connecting Ukraine’s electricity grid to that of the EU.

“It is the terror inspired by missiles and bombs that helps Russian troops advance on the ground.”

Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukrainian President

As a result of the Russian strikes, the national operator Ukrenergo announced that power rationing would be extended across the country. “Today the restrictions were extended to the whole of Ukraine from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m.”, specified the company, which organizes the rotation of power cuts. The day before, the time slot was two hours less, and the company had hoped that the restrictions could be limited to Tuesday from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

But “consumption continues to increase” while “Ukrainian power plants are unable to produce as much electricity as before the attacks due to the extensive damage they have suffered”, notes Ukrenergo. According to the same source, imports from European countries are not sufficient to compensate for the system deficit.

Energy security and the restoration of Ukraine’s electricity grid are one of 10 points in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s peace plan, which will be on the menu at a summit in Switzerland on June 15-16, to which Russia has not been invited. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Ukrainian power facilities were targets “military” legitimate.