Ukraine Warns Russia May Target Water Supply This Winter

Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal warned that Russia could shift its winter campaign from attacking Ukraine’s power grid to targeting water and sewage infrastructure, a move that would make civilian survival extremely difficult after just three days without water. He noted that more than 80% of Ukraine’s electricity generation capacity has already been destroyed, leaving the country with a severe power deficit and forcing nationwide rolling blackouts.

Shmyhal said Ukraine is building protective shelters for energy, gas and water facilities and installing modular boilers and dispersed generators to make them harder to destroy. He called for additional PAC‑3 interceptors for Patriot air‑defence systems and requested €500 million for energy‑resilience funding and €400 million for state gas company Naftogaz to replace damaged infrastructure.