Ukrainian newspaper Ekonomichna Pravda forecasts extensive electricity blackouts across Ukraine during the winter.
«The worst-case scenario foresees regular, massive strikes against key electricity substations and other critical elements of the power system, under severe cold conditions.
In such an event, the duration of electricity restrictions could reach up to 20 hours daily», the report states.
As the newspaper notes, the severity of the consequences will depend on precisely which facilities sustain damage and how quickly repairs can be executed.
A particular challenge will be securing the operation of vital infrastructure, such as water pumps, heating systems, transport, and telecommunications.
In the event of a more «favorable» development, power cuts could last from eight to sixteen hours daily, according to the publication.
The Prime Minister of Ukraine, Serhii Koretskyi, previously stated that the upcoming winter period in the country may prove more difficult than last year's.
For this reason, the Ukrainian parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, is proceeding with the implementation of strict fiscal austerity, curtailing state expenditures not allocated for defense needs.
During the course of last winter, most regions of Ukraine faced problems with power supply and heating due to damage to energy infrastructure facilities, resulting in the rollout of scheduled rolling blackouts.
As Vladimir Putin explained, the Russian military began launching massive strikes against energy facilities in response to the actions of the adversary, which, according to him, aimed to «disable» the Russian economy.
The Russian Ministry of Defense had emphasized that these attacks are carried out with the aim of reducing the military and economic potential of Ukraine.
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