Ukraine's grid operator Ukrenergo warned the country's energy situation "significantly" worsened after recent Russian air attacks, triggering emergency outages across most regions. Several power plants are under emergency repair and equipment is operating at the limits of its capacity, officials said. The European Commission will send 447 emergency generators (€3.7M) to support hospitals and critical services, while negotiators meet for U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi.
Ukraine's Power Crisis Deepens After Renewed Russian Airstrikes; Emergency Outages Across Most Regions
A State Emergency Service employee checks a generator next to a tent of a government-run humanitarian aid point, where residents can warm up, charge their devices, get hot drinks and psychological support, installed next to apartment buildings during a power blackout after critical civil infrastructure was hit by overnight Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, January 20, 2026. REUTERS/Valentyn Ogirenko
KYIV, Jan 23 — Ukraine's energy situation "significantly" deteriorated on Friday after a fresh wave of Russian air attacks, prompting emergency power outages across most regions, the national grid operator Ukrenergo said.
Damage, Repairs and Overloaded Equipment
The assessment follows Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal's remark that the power system endured its toughest day since the widespread blackout in November 2022, when Russian strikes against the grid first intensified. Moscow has stepped up airstrikes in recent weeks, further damaging already battered infrastructure and leaving many households without electricity and heating amid a subzero cold snap.
Ukrenergo said several generation facilities are undergoing emergency repairs after combined drone and missile attacks. "The equipment is operating at the limits of its capabilities," the operator said, adding that power units were bearing a "tremendous" overload driven by earlier strikes.
"The situation is close to a humanitarian catastrophe," said Maxim Timchenko, CEO of Ukraine's largest private energy firm, urging that any future peace deal must guarantee a halt to attacks on energy infrastructure.
International Aid And Diplomacy
The European Commission announced it would dispatch 447 emergency generators worth €3.7 million ($4.3 million) to restore power to hospitals, shelters and other critical services after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy declared an energy emergency last week.
Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were meeting in Abu Dhabi for U.S.-brokered trilateral talks intended to move toward a resolution of the nearly four-year conflict. Ukrenergo said it hoped emergency repairs would be completed "in the near future," allowing a return to planned outages.
Context: Ukraine's grid depends almost entirely on electricity produced by nuclear power plants and has already lost roughly half of its generating capacity. Restoring generation and protecting infrastructure remain urgent priorities as winter conditions increase the risk to civilians.
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