The Washington Post estimates that winter may have a significant impact on Ukrainians' attitude towards the war. Residents are fed up with the almost two-and-a-half-year-long war with Russia and, as research by the Kiev International Institute of Sociology shows, they are ready to make concessions. Continued Russian attacks may lead to the collapse of critical infrastructure, which will mean significant power outages in Ukraine in winter.
A senior Ukrainian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted in an interview with the Washington Post that he was afraid of the upcoming winter. – My biggest fear is that after going through this winter, there will be no chance of reaching any consensus – he told the daily.
The upcoming winter may prove to be the most difficult for Ukrainian society not only due to the constant Russian missile attacks, but primarily due to the damage suffered by the country's energy infrastructure during the war that has been going on for over two years, the daily said.
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Worst case scenario
The concerns are confirmed by the director of the Kiev International Institute of Sociology, Anton Hrushetsky. He and his team conducted an extensive study that showed that this summer, approximately 32 percent of respondents were willing to give up their belongings. Russia territories.
If only Ukraine obtained membership in NATOalready 57 percent would be ready to give up the occupied territories. In May 2023, only 10 percent of those questioned would accept the loss of occupied Ukrainian lands. “The burden of war, intensified by winter, changes people,” Hruszecki concluded.
Kharkov, UkraineSERGEY KOZLOV/PAP/EPA
The Russians are targeting critical infrastructure and trying to cause it to collapse. According to the most optimistic scenario of “WP”, during winter there will be four power outages a day in Ukraine in significant areas, but it may turn out to be worse.
Another worst-case scenario is over 20 hours without power.
Concerns about support from the West are returning
Some of the losses are being repaired on an ongoing basis. This year, Ukraine's largest energy infrastructure company, DTEK, reported that 90 percent of coal-fired power plants were destroyed or damaged. The company has set itself the goal of repairing 70 percent of the damage before winter, said its CEO Maksym Timchenko.
To carry out repairs European Union pledged to donate $300 million. At the same time, the fear of lack of sufficient support from the West remains alive. Everyone in Ukraine remembers how the aid package for Ukraine stalled in the US Congress last winter.
Delays in the delivery of military support allegedly cost Ukraine the loss of almost 9 gigawatts of energy, or about half of the country's energy capacity. Concerns remain unresolved, and winter only intensifies them – sums up “WP”.
Main photo source: SERGEY KOZLOV/PAP/EPA