The ceasefire millions of Ukrainians had pinned their hopes on has effectively collapsed as Russian forces resumed targeted attacks on critical energy infrastructure. A period of relative calm has ended with fresh destruction and the return of stringent power restrictions.
Ukrenergo reported that as of this morning, new network damages have been recorded following enemy shelling. The strikes hit consumers in the Sumy, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy regions. Emergency crews have begun restoration work where safety conditions permit, though the national power grid is once again operating under extreme strain.
The resurgence of hostilities, combined with the lingering effects of previous strikes, has forced the implementation of power capacity limits for industry and hourly blackouts for residential consumers across Ukraine. Furthermore, emergency measures had to be deployed in several regions.
"In certain regions, we were forced to apply emergency power shutdowns, which will be lifted as soon as the energy system stabilizes," the utility company stated.
The situation is being further exacerbated by a sharp drop in temperatures. As of 9:30 AM on February 2, electricity consumption levels jumped by 7.5% compared to Friday. Beyond the shelling, the system is also battling severe weather: icing and frozen power lines have left 162 settlements without electricity in the Odesa, Mykolaiv, and Kirovohrad regions.
Energy officials are urging Ukrainians to minimize the use of high-power appliances, especially during peak hours, noting that rational consumption is currently the only way to reduce the duration of forced outages.
