Ukraine will operate with limited electricity production for the next three to four years as the war continues to degrade infrastructure and slow the rebuilding of capacity. An expert from the Ukrainian Energy Research Center noted that the country will run with constrained generating capacity until new plants and upgrades come online in the near future. The assessment reflects how ongoing hostilities complicate power restoration, even in areas where lines and substations have already been repaired, or where new facilities are being constructed. The grid faces a daily balancing act where demand must be met while the system remains vulnerable to strikes, weather, and supply chain disturbances. Utilities work to prioritize critical services, protect hospitals and water facilities, and plan deliberate, staged repairs to stabilize supply during a volatile period.
On the morning of October 28, blasts lit up the skies over Nikolaev in the south, with additional strikes reported in Vinnitsa and Khmelnytsky. There were also strikes in Lutsk and Rivne, and after the Rivne region was affected, electricity supply collapsed in parts of the region. Authorities said roughly 280 thousand households were without power. In response, schools in Rivne moved to distance learning while essential services continued to operate under strain. Earlier reports described explosions in Odessa and Kirovograd, and an all Ukraine air raid warning remained in effect at the time as residents prepared for the possibility of further disruptions.
In the face of these attacks, the nation’s leader pressed Western partners to provide air defense systems that could help secure critical infrastructure and reduce risk to civilians. The goal, officials said, is to strengthen defenses against a sustained campaign that threatens energy security and daily life across the country.
A former Pentagon official warned that Russia’s actions have created a looming threat that weighs on Ukraine’s leadership and the resilience of its power network. The remark underscored the seriousness of the security challenge and the urgent need for international support to strengthen air defenses and protect the grid from further damage.