Ukraine’s Zelenskiy to declare energy emergency to tackle aftermath of Russian attacks
January 14 (Reuters) – President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Wednesday he would declare a state of emergency in the energy sector to make up for lost time and combat disrupted power supplies following Russia’s sustained attacks on infrastructure.
Zelenskiy’s move came as emergency crews continued their round-the-clock efforts to restore electricity and heating supplies, which were thrown into disarray last week by Russia’s offensive, especially in Kiev.
Repairs to thousands of apartment blocks have been made more difficult by the cold weather, with night temperatures approaching -20 Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit).
“The consequences of Russian attacks and worsening weather conditions are severe,” Zelenskiy wrote in English on social media platform X.
“A state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector in general… Many problems require urgent solutions.”
PRESIDENT WANTS MORE ACTION IN KYIV
Speaking later in the night in his video speech, Zelenskiy said that not enough efforts had been made to deal with the aftermath of the attacks and that the state of emergency would give authorities “more options and flexibility”.
He called for the establishment of more centers where residents can stay warm and charge electronic devices, and said the nightly curfew could be lifted in areas where the security situation allows.
The president said Kiev had done far less to prepare for the challenges posed by the attacks than other major centres, especially Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.
“Even in the last few days I don’t see enough intensity,” he said. “This must be fixed immediately. Decisions must be made.”
Kiev Mayor Vitali Klitschko, who had previously clashed with Zelenskiy over the defense of the capital, wrote on Telegram that city officials “must work efficiently, make decisions and find ways to implement them. Otherwise, the work will be done by capable ones.”
In his speech, Zelenskiy said that a permanent coordination center will be established in Kiev and the newly appointed first deputy prime minister and energy minister Denys Shmyhal will supervise these efforts.
He said work was ongoing “to significantly increase the volume of electricity imports to Ukraine.”
He also called on the military to maintain positions along the 1,200 km (775 miles) front line and diplomats to continue pushing for documents needed to secure peace.
“Maximum productivity is required on our part,” he said. “We expect the same level of energetic work from the American side. I personally expect this very much.”
(Reporting by Ron Popeski, Yuliia Dysa and Oleksandr Koizhukhar; editing by Mark Heinrich, Rod Nickel)
