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Half of Kiev in the dark after Russian attacks as Ukraine takes steps to save electricity

2025-12-09 19:58:21, Kosova & Bota CNA

Half of Kiev in the dark after Russian attacks as Ukraine takes steps to save

Ukraine will impose new restrictions on electricity use and allow additional energy imports as it works to repair infrastructure damaged by Russian attacks, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said late Tuesday.

Russian forces have significantly increased the number and intensity of attacks on gas and energy infrastructure in Ukraine in recent months, targeting both thermal power plants and electricity transmission systems.

In recent weeks, citizens in many regions of Ukraine have been facing constant and unexpected power outages.

On Tuesday, about half of the residents of the capital Kiev were simultaneously left in the dark.

"Additional lighting for buildings, streets, parks, decorative lights and outdoor advertising in city centers are not a priority during this difficult period for the energy sector," Svyrydenko said at X, announcing new measures to improve the situation for civilian consumers.

The list of buildings eligible for uninterrupted power supply should be further shortened.

Exceptions are hospitals, schools, vital buildings and defense industry enterprises.

State-owned enterprises will be able to start energy imports, Svyrydenko added.

"This will reduce pressure on Ukraine's electricity grid and stabilize the load during peak hours," she added.

On Tuesday, the national electricity grid operator imposed emergency power cuts in most regions of Ukraine, canceling schedules published the day before and plunging cities into darkness.

"The situation in Kiev remains one of the most difficult, now, up to 50 percent of consumers in the capital are without electricity," the Ukrainian Energy Ministry announced on Telegram.

Ukraine has three nuclear power plants, which produce more than 50 percent of all electricity in the country, but these plants are forced to reduce production due to damage to transmission lines.

Power outages also affect heating and water supplies.

Residents of Kiev and the Kiev region have been supplied with electricity for only 10 hours a day for the past week./REL