Expert names Ukrainian regions currently most vulnerable to Russian energy attacks

Mykhailo Honchar, president of the Strategy XXI Center for Global Studies, said this in an interview with Ukrinform while commenting on the situation in the energy sector.

"There is no single region that remains the most problematic on a permanent basis. In some places, restoration work succeeds; elsewhere, additional generating equipment is installed or networks are reinforced," the expert said.

According to him, for a long time the Odesa region remained the most vulnerable. "Now we see serious problems in the Kharkiv region. A few months ago, the Chernihiv region was in a similar situation," Honchar said.

He stressed that this dynamic is the result of Russia's deliberate tactics. "The Russians choose specific directions and carry out massive combined strikes against them," the expert said.

Honchar also mentioned the capital, which remains a strategic target for the Kremlin. "From an energy standpoint, Kyiv is the most energy-intensive metropolis in the country. Back in 2022, they attempted to energetically isolate the capital," he said.

According to the expert, attempts to implement the plan of taking "Kyiv in three days" failed, but Russia's logic has not changed. "In Moscow, they still believe they are 'close to their goal.' It is the same 'any moment now' rhetoric we have been hearing for years," Honchar said.

He attributed the recent significant damage to Kyiv's and the Kyiv region's energy infrastructure to a shortage of air defense systems. "When there is nothing to shoot down the attacks, the result is predictable. The January 9 attack clearly demonstrated this," the expert concluded.

Ukrinform photos can be purchased here