Blackout
Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council, stated that Russia's strikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure are a deliberate act of terror against the civilian population, aimed at blacking out cities. He warned that Europe's inaction would lead to similar attacks on its territory.
In Kyiv, after Russia's night attack, one person was injured, there are power and water outages, and 5,600 homes are without heat. Water supply is temporarily absent on the left bank of the capital.
Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that Kyiv cannot abandon emergency blackouts due to energy shortages. The authorities plan to expand distributed generation by 100 MW to increase the capital's resilience.
Minister of Defense Mykhailo Fedorov signed an order appointing Pavlo Yelizarov as Deputy Commander of the Air Force of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. He will be responsible for the development of small air defense and scaling up the experience of combating drones.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha met with his Romanian counterpart Oana Toiu at the World Economic Forum. Sybiha handed over a list of urgent needs for the restoration of energy supply and heating in Ukraine.
The Cabinet of Ministers plans to approve monthly additional payments for energy workers who are on-site at accident locations. This applies to repair crews that are eliminating the consequences of attacks.
Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko discussed the state of infrastructure and outlined steps for the stable operation of the social sphere. This applies to medical institutions, schools, social institutions, and mobile kitchens.
Denys Shmyhal and Rafael Grossi discussed an extraordinary IAEA meeting to assess the consequences of Russian attacks. The agency is preparing a report and methodology for assessing the impact on nuclear power plants.
This refers, in particular, to changing the very logic of combating attacks by Russian "Shahed"-type drones on Ukrainian cities and energy infrastructure.
Denys Shmyhal informed IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi about Russia's preparation of attacks on energy infrastructure serving nuclear power plants. The parties agreed to hear from the heads of nuclear power plants and IAEA missions, and also discussed an extraordinary meeting of the governing board.
Increased electricity imports from the EU do not guarantee overcoming the consequences of blackouts due to limited volumes and high costs. Expert Yuriy Korolchuk explains that the maximum import volume is 2.45 GW, with the main volumes occurring during night hours when the price is lower.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha instructed all foreign diplomatic missions of Ukraine to initiate urgent fundraising. The aid will go to purchase equipment, electricity, power, and all types of energy for Ukrainians.
Candidate of Medical Sciences Otto Stoika spoke about the optimal temperature and humidity indicators in the home, which affect well-being and immunity. The optimal temperature is +18 to 24 degrees Celsius, humidity - from 40 to 60%.
130 "Points of Invincibility" of the State Emergency Service operate around the clock in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast. Since their opening, almost 39,000 people have received assistance there.
The Deputy Commander of a Russian Armed Forces division has been notified of suspicion for ordering strikes on Ukraine's energy and gas transportation infrastructure. He used "Geran-2" UAVs for attacks on critical facilities.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held an energy meeting on the situation in the most difficult regions, including Kyiv, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, Chernihiv, Sumy, and Odesa. Additional repair crews have been brought in for Kyiv, and ministers reported on the restoration of the energy system, the supply of interceptor drones, and generators.
Russia attacked energy infrastructure overnight, cutting off power to consumers in 5 regions. The situation in Kyiv and the region remains difficult, and network restrictions are in effect in Odesa region.
In Odesa, a DTEK energy facility was significantly damaged as a result of a night strike by Russia. 30.8 thousand families remain without electricity, and repair work will take a long time.
There are no casualties as a result of the Russian shelling of Zaporizhzhia. Possible interruptions in water and electricity supply in some areas of the city.
Four missiles hit a critical infrastructure facility in Kharkiv, causing significant damage. Missile strikes were recorded in the Slobidskyi district, and fragments of an enemy UAV were found in the Novobavarskyi district.
First Deputy Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal instructed Ukrenergo to increase electricity import capabilities and implement projects to improve its transmission. This should reduce the duration of outages in the most difficult regions.
Tina Karol released a new song on TikTok with the words "We have no light, but we have warmth. We have no warmth, but we have goodness." The video and lyrics sparked active discussions among social media users.
Yasno CEO Serhiy Kovalenko announced that Ukraine is transitioning to a 4. 5-5 queue power outage regime, which could mean up to 16 hours without electricity. Kyiv is operating under emergency blackouts, while Dnipro and the region are following a new schedule.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced that almost 58,000 people are involved in repair crews on power grids and generation facilities. For Kyiv, 50 additional brigades have been brought in from other regions of the country.
Italy will provide Ukraine with a batch of heating equipment for regions affected by Russian terror. The country will receive 78 industrial boilers with a total capacity of 116.5 MW.
In Kyiv, 143 buildings remain without heating due to accidents caused by frost. Additional repair crews from "Ukrzaliznytsia" and other regions have been engaged to speed up restoration work.
The National Police has increased the number of patrols, especially at night, to maintain order and prevent crimes. Law enforcement officers urge citizens not to leave home unnecessarily at night and to carry identification documents.
Distorted information about a French TV channel's story discrediting the activities of Ukrainian intelligence is being spread on social media. This information has no objective basis and is a fake being spread by Kremlin bot farms.
Residents of Sumy will be supplied with water according to a schedule with reduced pressure from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM on January 18 and from 5:00 AM to 10:00 AM on January 19. This is due to the transfer of water utility facilities to emergency backup power.
The Czech Foreign Minister criticized President Pavel's proposal to provide Ukraine with L-159 aircraft without consulting the government. This proposal may reduce the likelihood of the aircraft being transferred.