KYIV, Jan 16 (Reuters) – Ukraine has fuel reserves for more than 20 days, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal told parliament on Friday, describing the overall energy situation in the country as very difficult following a series of Russian drone and missile attacks on power infrastructure.
Shmyhal, who took office earlier this week, said the most challenging situation remains in the capital Kyiv, the regions of Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv and Odesa, and in towns near the frontline, where thousands of homes have been without electricity and heating for days in subzero temperatures.
“In some cities and regions, winter preparations have failed. Over the past two days in office, I’ve seen that many things are clearly stalling,” he said.
“There is not a single power plant left in Ukraine that the enemy has not attacked.”
On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he would declare a state of emergency in the energy sector to make up for lost time and address issues of disrupted power supplies following sustained Russian attacks.
Shmyhal, who previously served as prime minister and defence minister, ordered emergency imports of electricity. He said that Ukraine needs to install 2.2-2.7 GW of electricity generation capacity by the end of 2026 to meet its consumption needs.
(Reporting by Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Daniel Flynn)
