Just a few months ago, when concerns rose about the ability of many EU countries to provide their consumers with the electricity they needed, it was Ukraine that promised to help its European partners.
Now, when Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure are becoming more pronounced, the European Union is ready to help.
Ukrainian refugees will be able to spend the winter in EU countries
European Energy Commissioner Simson arrived in Kiev on Tuesday to express support for Ukraine and pledge the help needed to strengthen its electricity system. As Samson pointed out, aid will be provided until Ukraine wins.
Thanks for an incredibly important dialogue on #power with the president @ZelenskyyUa today.
Winter is coming and 🇺🇦 it needs our international coordinated help.
Financing is only part of the challenge, finding the right equipment and delivering it quickly are the rest. pic.twitter.com/gmaozZmuWX
– Kadri Simson (@KadriSimson) November 1, 2022
Living conditions in Ukraine, especially in the areas most affected by the war, are currently quite enviable. It is not for nothing that the Ukrainian authorities last week invited Ukrainian refugees who went abroad to spend the winter in their new home countries. Especially since this winter promises to be difficult both in terms of electricity supply and heating.
Interior Minister of the Czech Republic Vit Rakušan said refugees who have already returned to Ukraine from EU countries will be able to return to Europe during the winter. According to him, if someone has already received temporary protection in the European Union, he has the right to spend the winter here.
Statistics show that the largest number of refugees from the Ukrainian war found refuge in Poland, while the Czech Republic took in the largest number of Ukrainian refugees in proportion to the population.
The number of registered refugees from Ukraine 🇺🇦 in the EU-27 countries 🇪🇺 and the proportion in relation to the population of the respective country.
The highest proportion – 🇨🇿🇵🇱🇪🇪🇱🇹🇱🇻.https://t.co/yq2B9xUgvD
1/2 pic.twitter.com/IrPGDkWBO0– Jānis Hermanis (@J_Hermanis) October 29, 2022
Recently, it is also very often mentioned that the occupation forces are increasingly actively withdrawing from the occupied Kherson region. Vladimir Saldo, representative of the management of the collaborators of this area, announced that Russia plans to “evacuate” some 70,000 residents in the area in the near future. According to him, such a forced evacuation, which will last three days, will be subject to people living in a 15-kilometer strip near the Dnieper River.
Squatters move into people’s abandoned homes
Meanwhile, Vitaly Kim, the head of the military administration of Mykolaiv Oblast, which is subject to regular bombing, said the current actions of the occupation forces show their determination to stay long in the region.
“The occupiers force people out of their homes en masse – they are being undermined and rumors are spreading that the shootings are scheduled for the fourth or sixth day, perhaps they are preparing themselves for the shootings. But what’s the point?
It seems that they welcome their mobilized people only in those houses equipped with comforts: gas, electricity, water. And this shows that they will be staying here for a long time, “says Kim.
“Secondly, those who mobilize are offered better conditions than they have at home, or conditions they have never seen in their life. They hope that when they start to retire, these people will stay in these houses and above all they will not want to run away. and surrender.
On the western bank of the Dnieper River, at the expense of the civilian population, Russia creates excellent living conditions, which in reality are comparable to a militarized zone, a buffer in front of Crimea “.
It was possible to restore the electricity and water supply in Kiev
Stepping up attacks on infrastructure across Ukraine, Russia also launched missiles on the capital Kiev on Monday. Although the Ukrainian air defense managed to shoot down most of the missiles, 80% of the residents of Kiev were left without water and electricity.
Now the water and electricity supply has almost been restored, but the mayor of the city, Vitaly Klitschko, has warned residents that power outages are expected in the future.
Russia is attacking Ukraine’s critical infrastructure2 minutes
Kiev residents were forced to stand in long lines. often more than an hour to manually pump water from wells and fill plastic bottles and cans.
“You cannot get water, you have to fear that there will be no gas, there will be no electricity. For example, half of Kiev is without electricity and water,” says Lidija, a resident of Kiev.
“It affects our lives, it causes inconvenience. But the truth is that it is not a problem. The problem is that we have a war, and that is the only problem that exists now,” says Denis, a resident of the capital.
By Monday evening, public utilities had restored electricity and water to at least half of Kiev’s residents. To reduce electricity consumption, the Kiev authorities have extended the intervals between journeys on the subway and replaced trolley buses and trams with buses.
Turkey is trying to provide Ukraine with the opportunity to continue grain exports
In addition to attacking Ukrainian civilians, Russia is once again trying to block the export of Ukrainian agricultural products.
After Russia over the weekend suspended its participation in the program that allows the export of cargoes of grain stuck there from Ukraine, representatives of the international community have begun to take active measures to ensure that the transport of grain continues and does not you create a new global food crisis.
One of the most active mediators is Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has been in contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin. After the telephone conversation, Erdogan expressed confidence that a constructive way out of this crisis can be found.
The Turkish leader believes that solving this problem would create the basis for further possible peace talks between Kiev and Moscow.
So far, the only success is the agreement reached by representatives of Ukraine, Turkey and the UN, which allowed three ships with cargoes of grain to leave the port of Odesa on Tuesday.
CONTEXT:
On February 24, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered to start invasion of Russian troops in Ukraine. Putin said NATO would use Ukraine as a stepping stone for aggression against Russia, although there was no evidence for these claims. Ukraine believes that Putin’s real goal is to destroy Ukraine’s statehood and bring the territory under the control of Moscow.
In early autumn, in Ukraine’s counterattack freed by the occupants more territory than Russia had managed to capture since early April. In mid-October, the Ukrainian forces were successful approach the city of Khersonthat the occupying authorities have decided to leave.
