Ukraine urges assistance from European firms to fix energy grid hit by Russian airstrikes

Amid the ongoing Russian bombardment against the Ukrainian power grid, Kyiv has urged European businesses to contribute the equipment urgently as Ukraine's replacement parts for its damaged energy infrastructure are running low. To assist the war-torn nation to survive through the winter, Energy Community, a European trade organisation, is coordinating the emergency response to provide spare parts to Ukraine, further helping to thwart a deliberate Russian attempt to destroy Ukraine's power substations.  

It is pertinent to mention that last week, a new wave of Russian missile assaults which targeted power facilities and substations that distribute electricity across the network resulted in power outages lasting 48 hours or more across the nation. 

According to The Guardian report, even though 37 supplies have already been planned, it is uncertain whether there is enough equipment to keep Ukraine's lights on, which has raised concerns among the nation's western friends and prompted a demand for further donations. 

NATO pledges to provide Ukraine with more weaponry and assistance

Furthermore, the warning came as officials from NATO member nations gathered in Bucharest, Romania, for a two-day summit. It is anticipated that the 30-nation alliance would announce further commitments of non-lethal help for Ukraine, including gasoline, generators, medical supplies, and winter equipment. 

As per a BBC report, NATO has promised to provide Ukraine with more weaponry and assist in repairing vital energy infrastructure that has been severely damaged by extensive Russian missile and drone attacks. Jens Stoltenberg, the military alliance's secretary general, charged Moscow with "trying to use winter as a weapon of war" during a conference in Bucharest. 

In the meantime, millions of Ukrainians are living in frigid conditions without running water or power as a result of the Russian strikes. Notably, Ukraine has been requesting more sophisticated air defence systems from NATO for some months. 

According to US authorities, Antony Blinken, the secretary of state for the United States, was planning to announce significant US funding for Ukraine's electrical system. Since the beginning of October, targeted Russian attacks have wreaked havoc on Ukraine's electricity infrastructure in what western authorities have dubbed a Russian attempt to weaponise the impending winter cold. 

Apart from this, the head of the Energy Community, Artur Lorkowski, stated that the situation in Ukraine is very critical. As per him, "They have some equipment which they stored before the war, but this storage is running out. The stored equipment will not to be enough continue the repair activities." 

The national grid of Ukraine, Ukrenergo, issued a warning on Tuesday stating that there was a 30% energy deficit across the board, which had an impact on other utilities at a time when temperatures in Kyiv ranged from 0 to -5C. However, during the winter, temperatures can plummet below -10C and below -20C on the worst days. 

(Image: AP)