Russia's fierce attack, Ukraine faces its toughest challenge

Fire breaks out after missile attack in Ukraine (Photo: Reuters).

"The situation in Ukraine is one of the most pressing energy security issues in the world today. Ukraine's energy system has withstood the past two winters... But this winter will be the most severe test ever," said Fatih Birol, executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), on September 19.

Moscow began targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure in October 2022, following Russia's bombing of the Crimean bridge.

Russia has stepped up its attacks since March, targeting power plants and distribution facilities across Ukraine in response to Kiev's drone campaign against Russian oil refineries and storage facilities.

According to the IEA, a wave of attacks this year has threatened Ukraine's ability to supply electricity during the peak winter season.

The agency noted that while rolling blackouts and other disruptions in power supply are generally routine in the summer, winter outages when heating systems are needed can cause “even more severe disruptions to hospitals, schools and other critical institutions.”

The IEA has issued a 10-point action plan to support Ukraine in addressing its pressing energy security issues. Proposed measures include improving the security of critical energy infrastructure, accelerating the delivery of equipment and spare parts for repairs, investing in energy efficiency, and increasing imports of electricity and gas from the EU.

Estimates of how much generating capacity Ukraine has lost vary, but most experts agree that power cuts and blackouts are inevitable this winter.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Russian airstrikes had destroyed about nine gigawatts of Ukraine's energy infrastructure, "equivalent to the capacity of the three Baltic states".

She announced that the EU plans to allocate 160 million euros ($178 million) from the proceeds of Russian assets frozen in the bloc to help Kiev solve its energy problems, despite Moscow's repeated warnings that using Russian money is tantamount to theft.

Ms. von der Leyen arrived in Kiev on September 20 with plans to discuss the energy situation directly with Ukrainian President Volodymy Zelensky.

Russia insists its airstrikes do not target civilians. The Russian Defense Ministry says Moscow's goal in targeting energy infrastructure is to cripple Ukraine's weapons production and its ability to deploy new troops and equipment to the front line.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-gioi/nga-tap-kich-du-doi-ukraine-doi-mat-thu-thach-khac-nghiet-nhat-20240920202526102.htm