Ukraine’s energy system has stabilised, Zelenskiy makes new calls to help defend Kharkiv

KYIV – The Ukrainian energy system that was severely damaged by Russian missile attacks in recent weeks is now almost completely stabilized, and the energy ministry on Sunday said no major imports were expected.

Ukraine’s electricity imports reached a record high at the end of March after a string of Russian missile strikes on critical infrastructure caused blackouts in many parts of the country.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Sunday said he had discussed a wave of attacks and bombings on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, with the heads of the Security Service, Defence Intelligence and the Interior minister.

Later, in his nightly video address, the president said the world must “finally hear” the pain inflicted on Kharkiv and other cities by Russian attacks and renewed a call for “political will” to ensure that Ukraine secures proper air defenses.

“It is quite obvious that our existing air defense capabilities in Ukraine are not sufficient and it is obvious to our partners,” Mr. Zelenskiy said. “And the world must finally hear the pain that Russian terrorists are causing to Kharkiv.”

Mr. Zelenskiy has for months called on Ukraine’s Western partners to provide the systems and munitions he says his country needs to oust Russian troops.

In an interview broadcast on Saturday, he said he still believes that a major US aid package would be approved by Congress, where it has faced Republican opposition for months.

Ukraine has been hit for weeks by a long series of missile attacks on critical infrastructure throughout the country, triggering a record high in electricity imports.

Since March 22, Russian forces have been attacking Ukrainian thermal and hydropower stations as well as main networks on an almost daily basis, which has led to the blackouts.

Grid company Ukrenergo said Russian drones had damaged the high-voltage network facility in the Kharkiv region overnight and the system operator had to introduce some power cuts.

“Today, Ukrenergo’s dispatch centre has been forced to increase the volume of emergency power outages in Kharkiv and the region,” the company said on Telegram.

However, the country’s power system remains “stable and balanced,” the energy ministry said in a statement.

It said power exports were expected at 115 megawatt hours (MWh) on Sunday while imports could total 1,179 Mwh.

Ukraine imported a record 18,649 MWh on March 26.

National grid company chief Volodymyr Kudrytskyi told Reuters last week that Russian attacks had caused significant damage to the power system, but a total collapse was unlikely. – Reuters