‘Problems Must Be Solved, Not Hidden’: Zelensky Slams Officials Over Days-Long Blackouts as Ukraine Faces Harsh Winter

President Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out at Ukrainian officials for failing to address the days-long power outages in Bila Tserkva and Brovary, describing the situation as "absolutely unacceptable." During a coordination call, Zelensky confronted government officials and demanded immediate action to restore electricity to the two cities in Kyiv region.

The president's criticism comes as Russian forces intensify attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, including power plants, substations, and transmission lines, as temperatures drop. Maxim Timchenko, CEO of Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK, warned that the scale of Russian missile and drone attacks this winter could be far worse than previous years, with Russia using twice as many ballistic missiles as in the past.

The attacks on Ukraine's energy facilities are becoming increasingly successful, with several power stations expected to remain offline until at least next summer. Russia's strategy, according to Timchenko, aims to create a "humanitarian disaster," with Kyiv identified as a primary target. Last winter, half of Kyiv's apartment buildings were left without heating, and millions of Ukrainians endured extended power and heating outages.

Russia's concentrated attacks on power generation and transmission infrastructure threaten to make the coming months even more challenging for the Ukrainian population.