Russia has changed its tactics on Ukraine's energy sector, trying to completely destroy it – Ukrenergo chief
Russia has shifted its military tactics toward Ukraine’s energy system, now aiming to render it completely inoperable, according to Vitaliy Zaichenko, Chairman of the Management Board of National Power Company Ukrenergo.
"Russia’s change in tactics toward energy is the same as on the battlefield. At first, their goal was to take Kyiv in three days; then it shifted to a scorched-earth strategy. Now they are applying the same approach to energy. Every Ukrenergo and regional energy substation is under massive attack, a huge number of drones are flying in, trying to wipe our facilities off the face of the earth," Zaichenko said during a thematic session at the Kyiv International Economic Forum on Thursday.
He explained that at the start of the war, Russia attempted to shut down the entire Ukrainian power system through large-scale missile strikes, with up to 100 missiles targeting Ukrenergo substations at once. According to him, those attacks caused significant damage, but the power system remained operational. There was only one blackout, during which Ukraine managed to reconnect the grid from a few "islands" with the help of European partners.
Now, Zaichenko said, the situation has changed: Russian attacks have become more targeted and, since September, have begun with strikes on Ukrzaliznytsia’s distribution substations and extended to those of regional energy companies and Ukrenergo, primarily in frontline regions.
"These attacks were so severe and complex that even now, in some regions – Sumy and Chernihiv – electricity consumption schedules have been introduced. But we are doing everything possible to restore power," the Ukrenergo chief said.
He emphasized that the current pace of restoring damaged energy facilities is exceptionally high and that, thanks to Ukraine’s partners, energy workers have accumulated a large stock of equipment.
"We have mechanisms and trained crews. The speed at which we restore infrastructure is unmatched anywhere in the world," Zaichenko said.