During her visit to Kyiv, the European Union Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib, together with Deputy Minister of Energy of Ukraine Anatoliy Kutsevol, visited the Darnytsia CHP, which was damaged by Russian attacks.
Anatoliy Kutsevol briefed the European Commission representative on the consequences of enemy strikes on the energy facility, which had supplied heat to more than 1,000 apartment buildings, as well as schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and other social infrastructure facilities.
During shelling in January and February 2026 alone, the enemy severely damaged high-voltage switchgear, power transformers, transmission lines, turbogenerators, and other critically important equipment at the capital’s combined heat and power plant.
“As a result, during severe frosts, thousands of households - approximately 600,000 people - in the Darnytskyi and Dniprovskyi districts of Kyiv were left without stable heating and hot water supply, creating serious humanitarian risks. Restoration work is ongoing under extremely challenging conditions; however, the scale of destruction requires substantial resources, specialized equipment, and sustained international support,” the Deputy Minister noted.
Anatoliy Kutsevol emphasized that Ukraine highly appreciates the emergency energy equipment provided through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism (UCPM). This assistance has played a crucial role in stabilizing the energy system and enabling a rapid response following the attacks.
The Deputy Minister also expressed gratitude to the European Commission for its contributions to the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine, totaling EUR 249 million. These funds have been allocated to critical priorities, including support for the transmission system operator Ukrenergo, deployment of decentralized renewable energy solutions, assistance to Centrenergo, procurement of gas turbines, preparation for the heating season, and strengthening the physical protection of energy infrastructure.
Hadja Lahbib, in turn, reaffirmed that the European Union will continue to support Ukraine in countering Russian aggression, including through sustained assistance to the energy sector.
