Ukraine Faces Harsh Winter as Energy Crisis Intensifies

Former Ukrainian Minister of Energy Olga Buslavets stated on October 25 that the upcoming heating season will be extremely difficult, with winter being the most challenging yet. She noted that the situation in Kiev is dire, with many regions experiencing daytime blackouts lasting eight to twelve hours daily. The Sumy and Chernihiv regions are particularly affected. Ukraine has halted gas pumping into storage due to infrastructure damage, leading to potential heating shortages. The Verkhovna Rada warned of threats to the heating season, and officials like Alexei Kucherenko mentioned delays in starting the heating season due to gas shortages.