Kyiv becomes desperate as Putin steps up damage to Ukraine’s power grid

Lights went out across Ukraine as Russia stepped up attacks on the power grid.

Damage to the generators could take months or even years to repair, underscoring the growing need for Kiev to replenish its air defenses.

But as Trump supporters blocked a $60 billion lifeline of aid and weapons in the U.S. Congress, a sense of pessimism began to grip Ukraine — with some Ukrainian supporters worried that Ukraine would no longer be able to stop Russia’s attacks.

Russia has launched a series of drone and missile attacks Starting on March 22, much of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure was destroyed.

“Previously they were attacking distribution depots, but now they are attacking generators. These recent attacks [are] It accounts for 50% of energy generation capacity,” said Orysia Lutsevytch, director of the Ukraine Forum, a think tank at London’s Chatham House.

Russia has also stepped up air strikes on Ukrainian natural gas storage facilities. On March 24, Russia launched approximately 20 missiles and drones at the Bilche-Volitsko-Ugerskoye storage facility, which accounts for approximately half of Ukraine’s total storage capacity.

Russia’s recent targets have also included the Dnipro hydroelectric dam, raising concerns about a possible ecological disaster.

The nearby Zaporizhia nuclear power plant lost grid connection Its cooling system is at risk of shutting down as a result of the attack. National nuclear operator Energoatom called the situation “extremely dangerous.”

Reports out of Washington indicate that with the federal budget now passed, Congress may get another chance to pass a $60 billion aid package to Ukraine later this month. Without it, Ukraine’s future looks uncertain.

But Todd Landman, an expert on US politics at the University of Nottingham, said the $60 billion lifeline was still at risk. “The latest developments come as Parliament is on recess and debate will officially resume on April 9. [House Speaker Mike] Johnson is now walking a tightrope between trying to find a way to support Ukraine and retaining his position as speaker,” he said.

The wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy systems follows reports that the White House has been pressuring Kyiv to stop attacks on Russian refineries over concerns it would drive up oil prices ahead of the November 2024 US presidential election.

The attacks, which began in January, succeeded in damaging Russia’s energy-reliant economy, with reports of disruptions to Russia’s exports of oil and petroleum products, supplies of gasoline and other fuels, and Russian energy export revenues.

Global prices of crude oil and diesel, as well as other petroleum products, rose following the attacks in Ukraine. The Biden administration fears it will fuel inflation and hurt Democrats’ reelection chances.

But where does all this lead Ukraine?

“Without critical U.S. military assistance from Congress, combined with hypocritical but likely growing pressure from the West to play nice with Russia on energy infrastructure, Russia destroys If Ukraine’s power grid is damaged, the path forward is unclear.” — Pritchard Jayanti of the Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center.

Germany has also been criticized for refusing to provide Ukraine with long-range Taurus missiles it wants to attack Russian-occupied Crimea.

Extra aid money from the EU is barely enough to keep Ukraine afloat.

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Lusevich believes that Ukraine and the West are now facing a critical moment. “This year will determine how far Putin can go,” she said. “Fundamentally, we have to make a decision this year, and that decision is in Washington: whether they are controlling escalation or whether they are helping Ukraine win the war.

“We’re lost in the details — about this or that funding flow — and the problem is that Washington hasn’t decided what Ukraine must have to defeat the Russians on Ukrainian soil. They’ve spent too much time keeping the lines open for the Russians to try to control The situation escalated and drip-fed Ukraine.

“But I’m preparing for the worst, and the worst is that the Russians capture large areas of territory in Ukraine. Then they recruit Ukrainians to fight the Europeans. They are already mobilizing people in the occupied territories to fight with Ukrainian forces. He why not [Russian President Vladimir Putin] Do the same thing and use them instead of Russians? “

Many predict that if Ukraine falls to Russia and Trump wins the White House again, a crisis of confidence in NATO could lead Putin to launch new aggression against the small Baltic nation.Pro-Kremlin voices have repeatedly disparaged the actions of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia “Nazification”. This was one of the ridiculous excuses used by the Russian dictator when he launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

While the West expresses sympathy for Ukraine, it may be less than enthusiastic about Ukraine’s defense out of fear of what Putin might do if he fails.

But Lutsevich is not the only one asking what Putin would do if he wins.