Ukraine Warns of ‘Hardest’ Winter Yet After Russian Attacks on Energy Sites

Ukraine on Tuesday said that the approaching winter could be the “hardest” one yet, amid ongoing Russian attacks on energy sites.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal delivered a news conference to discuss the ongoing war with Russia and recent attacks by Moscow on Ukrainian energy sites.

“Energy resilience is one of our greatest challenges this year,” Shmyhal said. “We successfully got through what was essentially 2 1/2 winters. We will get through three, with this upcoming heating season likely being just as difficult, if not the hardest.”

Shmyhal announced that Ukraine, with support from European nations, is swiftly working on plans to decentralize its power generation in efforts to reduce vulnerability to attacks. The strategy includes increasing renewable energy capacity, a move welcomed by environmental groups.

Greenpeace has advocated for a dispersed solar power network, arguing it would be more resilient against Russian missile and drone strikes. The organization is pushing Ukraine’s government to take more aggressive steps toward expanding its green energy infrastructure, saying it could quickly restore domestic power capacity.

The group is pushing for nearly 4.5 billion euros ($4.9 billion) in internationally backed investments by 2030, with a focus on renewable energy projects, particularly in the solar photovoltaic sector.

“(Our) research says that the current targets, which the Ukrainian government set for reaching solar energy by 2027, could be increased at least fivefold. This is a very conservative evaluation,” Natalia Gozak, head of Greenpeace in Ukraine, told the Associated Press on Tuesday.

Ukraine lost more than half its power-generating capacity in the first 14 months of the war, according to the United Nations and the World Bank, with conditions worsening. The country’s solar energy production has also been severely impacted, as much of the southern region, where sunlight is more plentiful, fell under Russian control. Before the war, energy in Ukraine was heavily dominated by coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

Alexander Egit, executive director at Greenpeace for Central and Eastern Europe, called on Western donor nations to prioritize funding for renewable energy projects during and after the war in Ukraine.

“We expect billions of euros to be invested in Ukraine’s reconstruction by the European Union and beyond,” Egit said. “Greenpeace’s role is to advocate for decentralized renewable energy to ensure Ukraine is rebuilt as a modern, green, and independent nation.”

This article includes reporting from the Associated Press.