Due to hostilities and shelling of energy infrastructure, consumers in 5 regions have been cut off from electricity. In Odesa region, the electricity situation remains difficult after previous enemy attacks.
The SBU staged a spectacular "bavovna" (explosion) at the Velikolukskaya oil depot in the Pskov region; the enemy's anti-drone nets did not help.
First Deputy Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal met with US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright to discuss energy partnership. The countries plan cooperation on liquefied natural gas supplies, the use of Ukraine's gas transmission system, and nuclear energy.
On the night of February 19, the Russian city of Velikiye Luki was subjected to a drone attack. As a result of the strikes, an oil depot located near a railway junction caught fire.
Energy infrastructure facilities have been damaged in Russia's Belgorod, leading to power and heat supply disruptions. Power outages have partially affected Belgorod, Shebekino, and the Shebekino district.
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has established an annual award for energy sector employees. Up to 50 awards of UAH 200,000 each will be granted annually.
The Cabinet of Ministers instructed to prepare the necessary resources to overcome the consequences of spring floods. The Ministry of Economy and other agencies will provide proposals for supporting people and businesses.
On February 19, hourly shutdown schedules and power restrictions for industrial consumers will be in effect in Ukraine. The reason is the consequences of Russian attacks on energy facilities.
Additional autonomous power generation equipment and diesel buses have been sent to Odesa. Individual houses are already being powered by generators, and repair crews are working around the clock.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on operational work in communities, particularly in Kyiv, in the conditions of an emergency energy situation. Priority steps have been identified to ensure backup power and the development of distributed generation.
MFA spokesperson Heorhiy Tykhyi commented on Budapest's provocations regarding the shutdown of the "Druzhba" oil pipeline.
Expert Serhiy Kuyun states that the cessation of diesel fuel supplies from Hungary and Slovakia is not critical for Ukraine. These supplies account for up to 10% of the market and can be easily replaced.
The PURL program remains a reliable mechanism for purchasing American air defense missiles. Contributions of $584 million have already been announced for 2026, but the need reaches $15 billion.
Serhiy Kovalenko, CEO of YASNO, explained why electricity bills increase during power outages. This is influenced by the starting current of appliances, individual consumption habits, and untimely submission of meter readings.
The Slovak company Slovnaft is temporarily suspending the export of diesel fuel to Ukraine and other types of exports. This decision was made after Hungary's announcement and due to the interruption of the Druzhba oil pipeline's operation in Ukraine.
Business investments in solar generation will partially mitigate risks but will not solve problems for large consumers.
Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó announced the cessation of diesel fuel supplies to Ukraine. This decision followed the suspension of oil transportation through the Druzhba pipeline.
Hungary and Slovakia have approached the European Commission regarding the possibility of purchasing Russian oil via sea routes. The Hungarian company MOL has already ordered the first batches, which are expected to arrive in early March.
The Slovak government has declared an emergency in the oil sector. This happened due to damage to the Druzhba oil pipeline in Ukraine, which led to the cessation of oil supplies.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha responded to Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó's statement, emphasizing that Budapest's position ignores the real price Ukraine is paying for Europe's security. Sybiha stressed that Ukraine is deterring Russian aggression, preventing it from spreading to other European countries.
The European Commission has confirmed contacts with Ukraine regarding the repair of the "Druzhba" oil pipeline, which is hindering the supply of Russian oil to Hungary and Slovakia. These countries have 90-day reserve stocks, which eliminates short-term risks to supply security.
Odesa and the region are without electricity, heat, and water after a devastating shelling of the energy system. Energy workers are working around the clock to gradually restore power supply; 60.5 thousand families already have electricity.
The SBU detained a Russian agent who was preparing new missile strikes on thermal power plants in the capital region. The perpetrator was collecting information on the technical condition of the thermal power plants after the previous shelling.
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin expressed concern about the war in Ukraine. He noted that from both sides, there does not seem to be real progress towards peace.
As a result of enemy attacks and bad weather, consumers in four regions of Ukraine have been left without power. In Odesa region, almost 100,000 subscribers are without electricity due to equipment damage and difficult weather conditions.
The most extensive Baltic Sea ice in 15 years is restricting Russian exports, requiring icebreaker escort for vessels without an ice class. From March 1, ports may prohibit entry to such vessels if the ice thickness reaches 30-50 cm.
Ukraine has imposed sanctions against Lukashenka for his assistance in Russian aggression. Zelenskyy stated that Belarus is helping Russia circumvent sanctions and supplies components for missiles.
On the night of February 18, several regions of Russia were subjected to air attacks. In Belgorod, a substation was likely hit, and in Cheboksary, an energy facility was attacked.
Ihor Zhovkva met with NATO Assistant Secretary General Boris Ruge. New defense support packages, which Ukraine expects to receive by February 24, were discussed.
In Odesa, after Russia's night attack, critical infrastructure facilities have been switched to backup power. Additional tents and heating points are being deployed for people.
