Ukraine is on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe due to attacks on the energy sector: DTEK CEO
Russian attacks on energy infrastructure are putting Ukraine on the brink of a humanitarian catastrophe, Maksym Timchenko, CEO of the largest private power producer DTEK, said in comments to Reuters.
“We need an energy truce. A truce on energy facilities. How can you talk about peace and at the same time attack people, knowing that they are freezing?” – said Timchenko.
According to him, since October 2025, Russia has been conducting “energy terror”, striking power plants and overloading air defense systems. Gas transportation infrastructure, fuel storage facilities and extraction facilities have also been under fire. Timchenko noted that Ukraine was able to withstand two weeks of frosts from -15 to -20 degrees, but a significant part of apartment buildings still remains without heating.
DTEK has lost 60–70% of its generating capacity, and the company’s losses are estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars. Timchenko emphasized that the country’s stability is currently ensured by gas imports, in particular from the United States, and the operation of gas, coal and hydroelectric power plants is significantly complicated by the strikes.
The restoration of the energy sector will require 65-70 billion dollars, according to World Bank estimates. Many facilities will have to be rebuilt to replace the destroyed ones.
“We are talking more about building a new energy system in Ukraine, rather than just reconstruction”, – Timchenko added.
He also called for more active development of decentralized generation – solar power plants, wind farms and energy storage facilities, which are more difficult to destroy during drone or missile attacks.
“We cannot count on signing a “peace agreement”. We must start preparing today”, – concluded Timchenko.
