"Could have catastrophic consequences." Kudrytskyi warned about threat to winter preparations due to stopping payments to communities

The suspension of payments from local budgets could have catastrophic consequences for critical infrastructure and negatively affect preparation for the heating season. This was stated by former Ukrenergo board chairman Volodymyr Kudrytskyy in an interview with Viktoriya Yermolayeva and Andriy Kulykov on Hromadske Radio in the program Dali zolovyn.

Answering questions about the impact of the government’s energy-saving regime on the energy system’s winter readiness, Kudrytskyy warned of risks for utility services.

"I believe that this decision could have catastrophic consequences," he said.

According to Kudrytskyy, for the operation of critical infrastructure it is necessary to continuously pay salaries, purchase reagents, diesel, gas and spare parts, complete planned repairs, and restore facilities damaged by Russian strikes.

"Not only the funding from the state budget, but primarily the funding from local budgets, and financing of anything from local budgets at all — it hits critical infrastructure in the entire country with a heavy hammer," he stated.

Kudrytskyy separately noted the needs of front-line cities — Sumy, Konotop, Kharkiv, Kramatorsk, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson.

He explained that payment delays can trigger a chain of additional problems. In particular, unpaid salaries create risks for leaders of utility companies, tax non-payment threatens fines and penalties, and lack of funds for fuel can lead to public transport shutdowns.

If enterprises are forced to take loans to cover current expenditures, communities will also have to find funds for interest not provided for in budgets, Kudrytskyy noted. He named accumulating gas debts and possible issues with restoring its supply as a separate risk.

"For example, you did not pay Naftogaz for gas, and it disconnected you, your municipal enterprise is disconnected. And to reconnect you, you must settle the old debts," Kudrytskyy said.

In his assessment, agreeing to extended repayment terms for such debts could also be complicated by the leadership of Naftogaz’s concerns about criminal proceedings.

"So this decision will have a direct negative impact on preparation for the heating season," he emphasized.

Commenting on the reasons for the lack of budget funding, Kudrytskyy linked the situation to the failure of reforms on which European support depends.

"The money has run out because deputies do not want independence of anti-corruption bodies," he stated.