Ongoing Russian strikes across Ukraine have pushed the country’s infrastructure and energy supply to the brink of “collapse,” Germany’s Foreign Ministry said.
A ministry spokesperson said Germany has allocated an additional 60 million euros in humanitarian aid for Ukrainians suffering from “brutal Russian attacks” on energy facilities amid severe freezing temperatures.
The funds will provide residents of frontline areas with cash assistance to purchase essentials such as emergency generators for shelters, heating systems, clothing and blankets. Additional measures are under consideration.
Sustained, large-scale Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power system, combined with a sharp cold snap, have created a critical situation in several regions.
Overnight on January 19, Russian forces struck the Chernihiv region, damaging five key pieces of energy infrastructure. The utility Chernihivoblenergo said tens of thousands of customers were left without power. Repair crews are at work, but the security situation could delay restoration.
As of the morning of January 19, consumers in the Sumy, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Chernihiv regions were without electricity, First Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said at a briefing.
Nekrasov said conditions remain especially challenging in Kyiv and the Kyiv region, with freezing temperatures putting additional strain on the grid.
Sixty repair crews are working to restore power in the capital, including 12 brought in from other regions. Distribution system operators continue to impose grid restrictions. Previously announced hourly outage schedules are temporarily suspended.
As in recent weeks, grid restrictions also remain in place in the Odesa region, where emergency repair work continues following earlier Russian attacks
