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Automatically translated version. May contain inaccuracies compared to the original.
The head of the United Nations Development Programme, Achim Steiner, said that there is a risk of a humanitarian catastrophe in Ukraine if Russian attacks cut off access to electricity and water. This is reported by the BBC.
A third-ranking UN official said there is a “race against time” to restore the power grid before winter and the sharp drop in temperatures.
“This winter will be the harshest since the war began,” said De Croo, who previously served as Prime Minister of Belgium.
According to him, Ukraine enters this winter with a very weak base, and the UN is “very, very concerned… about what this winter could become.”
He stated that the concern stems from Russia systematically strikes civilian and energy infrastructure.
“It’s gas stations, shopping centers, business centers, but this particularly concerns energy infrastructure, transmission lines, and so on. There is absolutely no justification for this,” De Croo said.
He warned this could lead to a “worst-case scenario” where people have trouble accessing heating, and water supply and sewer systems stop functioning.
“Under such temperatures as those observed here, this could lead to a situation very close to a humanitarian catastrophe.”
It is noted that as part of Ukraine’s winter preparedness efforts, UN Development Programme helps restore energy system facilities damaged last winter. It is also creating more resilient and decentralized power plants that are less vulnerable to attacks.
De Croo said that completing this difficult and dangerous work was an “almost impossible task.”
“They are restoring these facilities under constant, continuous air raid alerts. And they know they are working on a site that is a target,” he added.
Winter forecasts
Earlier Austrian military expert Markus Reisner wrote that Russia plans to use the upcoming winter to increase pressure on Ukraine, striking not only military targets but also energy and critical infrastructure.
In his view, with the front line practically unchanged, the Kremlin may bet on exhausting Ukrainian society.
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