Ukrainians unlikely to see stable electricity until spring, expert says

Power outages across Ukraine are expected to continue throughout the winter and may not fully end until the beginning of April, according to a senior energy sector official.

Speaking to the Ukrainian news outlet UNIAN via Telegram, Stanislav Ignatiev, head of the Council of the Ukrainian Renewable Energy Association, said the country would have to adapt to prolonged and difficult electricity restriction schedules.

Mr Ihnatiev warned that disconnections would remain in place for the entire winter period and, in the best-case scenario, could only be lifted in early April. He urged residents to adjust their daily routines in line with the current power supply timetables.

Ukraine’s energy crisis this winter is largely the result of repeated attacks by Russia on the country’s power generation and distribution infrastructure, which have significantly reduced available capacity.

Since the start of the invasion, dozens of major power and heating plants, along with hundreds of boiler houses and kilometres of heating networks, have been damaged or destroyed, leaving many regions without a stable supply of electricity or heat.

While some efforts to protect the grid were partially successful — including the reinforcement of certain substations and transformers — wider plans to safeguard critical facilities were disrupted. Internal problems, including a corruption scandal at the state nuclear operator, led to a loss of international donor confidence and delayed further protective measures.

As a result, even before the onset of the harsh winter months, Ukraine’s domestic energy network remained fragile. Combined with falling temperatures and increased demand, widespread power cuts became almost unavoidable, forcing authorities to introduce scheduled blackouts across large parts of the country.

By Aghakazim Guliyev