Blackouts, electricity restrictions may last up to 2 weeks, former energy minister says

Blackouts and “strict” electricity restrictions may last another one to two weeks following the previous day’s mass Russian strike across Ukraine that damaged energy infrastructure, said Ivan Plachkov, president of the All-Ukrainian Energy Assembly, in comments on the Kyiv24 television channel on Aug. 27.

Russia launched what Ukraine’s Air Force called the largest attack on Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Aug. 26, striking 15 oblasts across the country. The attack damaged energy infrastructure, killed seven civilians, and injured 47 more.

Plachkov, who formerly served as Energy Minister, said that it was “one of the most massive attacks on energy infrastructure,” with the goal of causing “a total blackout in the energy system.”

While Russia was unsuccessful in that goal, Plachkov said the energy situation is very difficult and will require extensive repairs.

Ukraine’s Energy Ministry corroborated that it was one of the largest attacks on energy infrastructure and said that the consequences were still being determined. One employee of the Energy Ministry was killed in the attack, and another was injured, the ministry said.

Scheduled blackouts would be in effect throughout the day, the ministry said, adding that emergency power supplies were received from Slovakia and Poland after the attack.

The ministry said that “large-scale” repairs are underway and that employees were working to ensure the “stability and integrity of the power system and prepare it for the autumn-winter period.”