Ukraine has credible information that Russia is preparing further attacks on energy and critical infrastructure, including facilities supporting nuclear power plants, a senior Ukrainian diplomat said.
The warning was issued by Rostyslav Palahusynets, Ukraine’s deputy permanent representative to international organizations in Vienna, during a meeting of the OSCE Forum for Security Co-operation, Ukrinform reported.
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“We have sufficient information about preparations for further Russian attacks on our energy sector and infrastructure, including facilities and networks serving our nuclear power plants,” Palahusynets said.
According to him, every Russian strike on energy infrastructure during the harsh winter undermines international efforts – including those of the United States – to end the war.
“Ukraine remains as constructive as possible in diplomacy, while Russia is focused solely on attacks and terrorizing civilians,” Palahusynets said.
He revealed that during the current heating season alone, Russia has carried out 256 airstrikes against Ukraine’s energy and critical infrastructure. Since Jan. 11, energy facilities have been targeted almost daily.
“War criminal Putin continues to wage a genocidal war against women, children, and the elderly,” Palahusynets said.
He added that Russia’s second winter campaign has a clear humanitarian dimension, with attacks synchronized and structured to “maximize suffering” as freezing temperatures turn disruptions to heating, electricity, and water supply into life-threatening conditions.
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According to Palahusynets, Russia is deliberately creating living conditions aimed at the physical destruction of Ukrainians, actions that fall under Article II(c) of the Genocide Convention.
The Ukrainian delegation also urged OSCE member states to turn unity into action by accelerating deliveries of air defense systems and ammunition, expanding capabilities to counter missiles and drones, and increasing pressure on Russia to force an end to the war.
As of Thursday morning, Jan. 22, just under 3,000 high-rise buildings in Kyiv remained without heating, Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko said. Overnight, heating was restored to 227 buildings.
“This is the second major restoration effort after infrastructure damage caused by enemy attacks on January 9 and 20,” Klitschko wrote.
Emergency power outages remain in effect in Kyiv, while utility and energy workers continue round-the-clock efforts to restore heat and electricity.
Klitschko said Tuesday that around 600,000 residents have fled the capital, warning the city is edging toward what he called a “humanitarian catastrophe” after Russia again struck Ukraine’s energy grid early that morning, cutting heat and electricity in subzero temperatures.
Oleksiy Kuleba, Ukraine’s deputy prime minister for restoration and minister for communities and territories development, said cogeneration units – which produce both heat and electricity – are being transferred to Kyiv from other regions.
Kryvyi Rih, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia are transferring cogeneration and boiler units totaling several megawatts to Kyiv, he added. Moreover, three additional plants with a combined capacity of 3.8 MW will arrive in Kyiv from Germany this week.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday’s strike left more than one million people in Kyiv without power. Residents told Kyiv Post that blackouts also disrupted water supplies, leaving some unable even to flush toilets.
For context, 1,000 MW equals one gigawatt (GW), and Ukraine’s functional pre-war generating capacity stood at around 36 GW (36,000 MW). Newly appointed Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said that not a single power plant has been spared during Russia’s invasion.