More than 1 million people in Ukraine are without electricity, water and heating in freezing temperatures after Russian strikes on energy infrastructure, and the European Commission said it is sending 447 emergency generators from EU reserves.
The generators, valued at €3.7 million, are being deployed from the EU’s rescEU strategic reserves hosted in Poland and are intended to restore power to hospitals, shelters and other critical services, the European Commission announced on Friday.
The equipment will be distributed by Ukraine’s Ministry for Development of Communities and Territories in co-operation with the Ukrainian Red Cross.
Nearly 10,000 generators have been sent to Ukraine via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism since Russia’s full-scale invasion began, the Commission said.
The EU Civil Protection Mechanism is the bloc’s system for co-ordinating emergency assistance between member states and partners.
Wider EU support for Ukraine’s energy system
A full thermal power plant donated by Lithuania was relocated to Ukraine ahead of this winter to restore capacity to the country’s electricity grid, in what the Commission described as the largest co-ordinated logistical operation in the mechanism’s history.
Russia’s attacks on energy infrastructure are deliberately depriving civilians of basic services in winter, and a new shipment of generators is on the way, European Commissioner for Preparedness, Crisis Management and Equality Hadja Lahbib said.
More than 9,500 EU-provided generators are already in use across Ukraine, she added.
Ukraine is experiencing its most difficult winter since the start of the war and Russia is continuing to target energy infrastructure and utilities, Vice Prime Minister for Restoration Oleksii Kuleba said.
He stated support from the European Commission and its Emergency Response Coordination Centre was critical for affected communities.
More than €1.2 billion has been allocated by the Commission for humanitarian aid for civilians, and more than 160,000 tonnes of assistance have been delivered via the EU Civil Protection Mechanism since the invasion began.
At least €3 billion has also been provided for Ukraine’s energy security, including €927 million mobilised ahead of winter for emergency gas purchases.
