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As temperatures in Ukraine dip below freezing point, Russia has launched wave after wave of missile attacks on the country’s energy infrastructure in a bid to destroy morale and force Ukrainians to sue for peace. FRANCE 24 correspondents Robert Parsons, Pauline Godart and Red Abu Zaideh report from newly liberated parts of the Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, where Ukrainian electricians are battling to restore power to homes.
hundreds of kilometers of war-damaged Electricity Cables need immediate repair. Since the liberation of villages east of Mykolaiv in early November, Ukrainian electricians have been working non-stop. The land around them is mined – a parting gift from the russians,
With the onset of winter, the temperature is dropping. Electricians are trying to get to work as soon as possible in an area where 90% of homes are without electricity for 8-9 months.
Since October, the Russians have butchered Ukraine energy infrastructure and its storage facilities.
Several trucks belonging to the regional energy company of Mykolaiv were destroyed by Russian artillery fire. Before they withdrew from the area, the Russians sacked the depot and ransacked what they could not take.
“We try to bring power back to this town and these villages quickly, but after that we have to completely rebuild the network because our job is only to bring power to these villages – temporarily. After that we will have to rebuild and we will need a big investment,” says Vadim Danilkiv, head of the Mykolaiv Regional Energy Company.
The total cost of rebuilding Ukraine after the war has been estimated by the World Bank at around 600 billion Euros and is only a provisional figure. Who knows how long this war will continue and at what cost?
Watch the full report by clicking on the player above.