Russia has carried out more than 300 air strikes on power plants since October 10. According to the latest information from the Kyiv government, around 40% of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has been damaged. The Norwegian Refugee Council appealed to both sides to the conflict on Thursday: “Winter must not be used as a weapon of war.”
Call to save electricity
In response to Russian air strikes on power plants and other critical infrastructure, the Ukrainian government is seeking a 20% reduction in energy consumption across the country. The population has already followed the call to save electricity, says Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko on television. There is a voluntary decrease in consumption. “But when that’s not enough, we are forced into forced shutdowns.” Ukrainian utility Ukrenergo announced bottlenecks until 22:00 local time (21:00 CEST).
At the beginning of winter, the Russian army deliberately tried to shut off power and heat supplies to Ukraine. According to Ukrainian sources, about a third of the power plants have been destroyed as a result of the increase in attacks since the beginning of last week. Specialists try to eliminate the damage as best they can.
District heating in Kyiv restarts
In the capital Kyiv, district heating is due to be turned on again on Thursday, as announced by Mayor Vitali Klitschko. Repair and rescue services were increased by ten percent. Klitschko urged citizens of the capital to save electricity. You should not use fan heaters or air conditioners. It is feared that the state of emergency will massively intensify over the winter. Specialists try to eliminate the damage as best they can.
According to the governor of the region, the damage to the Burshtyn thermal power plant in western Ukraine is considerable. The plant was hit in a Russian attack on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, there was destruction, and it was considerable,” Svitlana Onyshchuk, governor of the Ivano-Franivsk region, told Ukrainian television.
Norwegian Refugee Council urges end to attacks
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) called for an end to Russian attacks on the population and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine. “All parties to the conflict must respect international law and ensure that civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected in this conflict,” NRC Regional Director Carlo Gherardi said in a statement Thursday.
“Winter should not be used as a weapon of war.” Gherardi also warned of a new movement of flights in winter. “If the weather gets worse, people will have to desperately choose to stay where they are or pack up and move elsewhere in Ukraine or to neighboring countries,” he said.
According to the Ukrainian armed forces, they are moving forward with their offensive against invading Russian troops in the southern region of Kherson. The military announced on Thursday that 43 Russian soldiers had been killed there and six tanks and other equipment had been destroyed. On Wednesday, the Russian-appointed government ordered an evacuation in the occupied territory and also in the eponymous regional capital, Kherson, in anticipation of a Ukrainian attack.
According to British military experts, the Russian leadership is considering a major withdrawal of its troops from the area around the Ukrainian city of Kherson, west of the Dnipro River in southern Ukraine. This emerges from the Ministry of Defense’s daily intelligence update in London on Thursday.
However, such a project is hampered by the fact that all permanent bridges over the kilometer-wide river are severely damaged, the message said. Russia would likely have to rely heavily on a recently completed temporary barge bridge near Kherson and military ferries, British experts say.
Shoot down 14 drones
According to the Ukrainian air force, it shot down another 14 Shahed-136 drones in the Mykolaiv area. Two Russian ammunition depots were destroyed in Beryslav, the Ukrinform news agency said.
According to the Ukrainian military, Russian armed forces in eastern Ukraine, on the border with Russia, focused their advance mainly on the cities of Bakhmut and Avdiivka. Bakhmut is at the center of Russia’s slow advance in the Donetsk region. According to Ukrainian information, Russian troops in the region bombed at least ten cities with tanks and artillery. The metropolitan areas of Kharkiv, Izyum, Chuhuiv and Kupyansk were particularly affected.
Zelenskyy: “Save her life”
In a speech, Zelenskyy also addressed men in Moscow-occupied areas and declared his own territory. Under no circumstances should men be drafted into the Russian army. “Avoid this if possible,” says Zelenskyy. Anyone who can leave these areas must do so. Those who have been called up must lay down their arms and try to defect to the Ukrainians. “More importantly, save their lives and be sure to help others too!” he said.
Russian ruler Vladimir Putin declared a state of war in the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhia and Kherson on Wednesday. Russia claims them for itself in violation of international law and considers the Ukrainians who live there to be Russian citizens. This increases the danger that the men will be forced to serve in the Russian army and have to fight their countrymen.