Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky convened a meeting of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) to approve resilience plans for all regions and regional centers, excluding Kyiv. The announcement was made via social media.
During the session, Zelensky received reports from representatives of various regions and major cities. He emphasized that the experiences of the past winter would inform future decisions regarding infrastructure protection, logistics, and the restoration of energy facilities damaged by Russian attacks.
“The NSDC has approved resilience plans for all Ukrainian regions and regional cities, except for Kyiv, which has been granted additional time to prepare the necessary documents. Currently, Kyiv is not ready, as it was last winter. We must be prepared for the next winter and accomplish every task,” the president stated.
Zelensky stressed the importance of readiness for any scenario in the upcoming winter, ensuring real support for the populace. He noted that the Ukrainian government, particularly the Ministry of Defense and the Air Forces, has received the necessary directives to assist regions in their preparations.
Energy Attacks in Ukraine
Since January 14, under Zelensky’s directive, a state of emergency has been in effect in Ukraine’s energy sector due to Russian strikes and worsening weather conditions.
On February 18, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that Kyiv proposed the creation of an Energy Task Force to coordinate international assistance for the recovery of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure following Russian assaults.
Shmyhal reported on January 23 that the situation in the energy system was the most challenging since the onset of the full-scale war, with over 50,000 specialists engaged in repairs and the government enhancing the protection of critical infrastructure using air defense and electronic warfare systems.
On the same day, Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko revealed that international partners had pledged new aid packages, which would include more than 6,000 units of significant energy equipment to stabilize the system.
On January 31, a major technological failure occurred in Ukraine’s energy system, resulting in cascading power outages across several regions. This led to temporary halts in metro operations in Kyiv and disruptions in heating and water supply in various areas.
According to the energy minister, at 10:42 AM, a 400 kV power line between Romania and Moldova and a 750 kV line between western and central Ukraine simultaneously disconnected, triggering automatic protections, the unloading of nuclear power plant units, and the implementation of emergency shutdown schedules in Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Zhytomyr, and Kharkiv regions. Initial assessments ruled out cyberattacks or external interference, attributing the cause to ice accumulation on lines and equipment.
The most severe conditions were reported in the capital and several regions. In Kyiv, power outages affected metro services and escalators, causing disruptions in water supply and heating, with some systems switched to backup power. Similar issues were observed in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Kirovohrad, Khmelnytskyi, Vinnytsia, Mykolaiv, and Odesa regions, where emergency or scheduled outages were implemented, impacting transportation and municipal services.
President Zelensky has approved resilience plans for Ukraine's regions, excluding Kyiv, amid ongoing energy challenges. The government aims to enhance infrastructure protection and prepare for potential winter scenarios following recent energy system disruptions.