Ukraine: 40% of the country's energy system destroyed by Russian bombing
On a street during a power outage in kyiv, Ukraine, Wednesday, November 16, 2022. AP - Andrew Kravchenko
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The Russian strikes that have been falling on Ukraine for several weeks are mainly aimed at energy installations.
This Thursday, December 1, nearly half of the electricity network is out of order.
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According to the private company DTEK, one of the two main energy operators in the country, almost half of the Ukrainian electricity network is out of order on Thursday, December 1.
It is the consequence of the Russian strikes which
have been linked together since October
.
“
Russia destroyed 40% of Ukraine's energy system with terrorist missile attacks.
Dozens of energy workers have been killed and injured
,” DTEK said in a statement posted on Telegram messaging.
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Russia has been targeting Ukrainian energy facilities for several weeks after a series of military setbacks.
These strikes cause material damage, but also human losses.
The destruction of infrastructure also leads to severe electricity shortages.
On November 23, entire regions, including the capital Kiev,
were cut off from electricity
.
The inhabitants plunged into darkness and cold
Plunged into darkness and cold in the heart of winter, Ukrainian civilians are the first victims of this Russian strategy.
In kyiv, the average temperature in December is below zero.
The alternatives to the electrical network, candles or generators, are precarious and potentially dangerous.
On Wednesday, Ukrainian emergency services announced that they had identified nine dead and eight injured in domestic fires the day before.
► To read also: Zelensky denounces to the UN a "crime against humanity" after strikes on infrastructure
The DTEK company claims to "
do everything so that there is electricity in every house in Kiev at least once or twice
a day
" and maintains that its technical teams are working "
day and night" to "stabilize the situation regarding energy supply
.
If they continue, these cuts raise fears of a new refugee crisis.
For the head of European diplomacy, Russia must pay for the destruction of Ukraine
The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, wants to force Russia to pay for the destruction of Ukrainian energy infrastructure, and this, by studying “
all the legal possibilities
”.
Josep Borrel spoke this Thursday at the meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) which has just opened in Lodz, Poland.
"
We have seized nearly 20 billion euros from oligarchs and people supporting Russia, and we control about 300 billion in financial resources from the Russian central bank
," said the head of European diplomacy.
This money should be used for the reconstruction of Ukraine
”.
Russia is represented in Lodz by its ambassador to the OSCE, which has 57 members.
Josep Borrel called Russia's aggression against Ukraine a violation of international law and the principles of the Organization.
(with AFP)
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