Nordic-Baltic ministers condemn Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy sector
Repair of power lines damaged by shelling (Photo: Getty Images)
The foreign ministers of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden have called on Russia to stop air attacks on Ukrainian cities, residential areas, and critical infrastructure, according to a statement published on the website of the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The eight countries expressed concern over the recent escalation of shelling, despite international efforts to end the war, and urged Russia to halt strikes on energy facilities.
The ministers emphasized that attacks on electrical substations threaten the safe operation of nuclear power plants and critically affect the population’s access to essential services.
In a joint statement, the diplomats emphasized that attacks aimed at cutting off Ukrainians from electricity, heating, and water supply during harsh winter conditions violate international humanitarian law and may qualify as war crimes. They stressed that Russia and its leadership must be held accountable for these actions.
In this context, the ministers welcomed progress in establishing a mechanism to compensate victims of the war and a special tribunal to investigate the crime of aggression, which they view as an important step toward justice and holding perpetrators accountable.
Situation in Ukraine’s energy sector
On Friday, January 23, Ukrenergo reported a significant deterioration in Ukraine’s energy system. Several energy facilities were immediately taken offline for emergency repairs.
The company explained that the main cause of the forced outages was the impact of large-scale missile and drone attacks on power plants and transmission and distribution substations.
Energy specialists noted that the equipment is operating at its capacity limit. Due to previous damage and destruction, existing power units are overloaded to keep the country supplied with electricity, leading to shutdowns for repairs.
On the morning of January 23, emergency power outages were implemented in several regions of Ukraine.
The day before, Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that January 22 was one of the most challenging days for Ukraine’s energy sector since the large-scale blackout in November 2022.
