Ukraine’s Security Service defines Russian attacks on the energy grid as crimes against humanity. Ukraine is to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector. The IMF’s managing director is to meet top officials in Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Security Service defines Russian attacks on energy grid as crimes against humanity
Ukraine’s Security Service has gathered a body of evidence confirming that Russian airstrikes on the country’s energy grid represent the Kremlin’s consistent policy. It aims to destroy the Ukrainian people and has signs of crimes against humanity, the security service said in a statement on Thursday.
Since the beginning of the heating season, the agency has documented 256 Russian airstrikes on the country’s energy sites and heating systems.
Since early October 2025, Russia has deliberately targeted 11 Ukrainian hydroelectric power plants and 45 largest thermoelectric power plants, the security service said.
Russia has also carried out 49 precision aerial attacks against thermal power plants and 151 attacks on power substations across Ukraine.
Each of the attacks used dozens of missiles and drones, the security service said.
Most of the attacks targeted heat and power generation facilities in Kyiv and the surrounding region as well as in the regions of Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipro, Sumy, Mykolayiv and Chernihiv.
Russia used ballistic and cruise missiles, including ones of the Iskander, Kalibr, Kh-101 and Kh-69 types as well as Geran drones to attack Ukraine’s critical infrastructure.
“The attacks amid extremely low temperatures led to major power, heat and water outages in the homes of millions of civilian Ukrainians,” the statement says.
Ukraine’s criminal code defines such actions as crimes against humanity as they consistently create conditions intended to destroy part of the population.
“The article [of the code] defines this type of attacks as international crimes, with courts in Ukraine and abroad imposing harsh responsibility for them,” the security service said.
Ukraine to declare a state of emergency in energy sector
Overnight Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy facilities knocked out power for consumers in the regions of Zhytomyr and Kharkiv, the Energy Ministry said on Thursday.
The most difficult situation is in Kyiv and the surrounding region. The grid capacity remains constrained, and planned power cuts will be applied after the situation in the energy system is stabilized, the ministry said.
“Despite the difficult weather conditions repair works in the capital and in Kyiv region continue round the clock,” it added.
The grid capacity also remains constrained in Odesa region. Repair works continue there to fix the damage after Russian attacks. Seven villages and towns in the regions of Kyiv and Chernihiv lost power amid difficult weather conditions. Regional energy companies conduct repair works to restore the damaged power lines.
Consumers in the near-front and border areas have been long cut off from power. The energy situation there is the most difficult as repair works are further complicated by constant fighting, the ministry said.
On Thursday, rolling outages were in places for households and industrial consumers across Ukraine. Overloaded equipment amid low temperatures caused emergency power cuts in several regions.
On Wednesday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyi said that a state of emergency in the energy sector would be declared in Ukraine. “First – a permanent coordination headquarters will be established to address the situation in the city of Kyiv. Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector. The First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Energy of Ukraine has been assigned to oversee work supporting people and communities under these conditions, as well as to address practical issues,” he said on X on Wednesday.
IMF’s managing director to meet top officials in Kyiv
International Monetary Fund managing director Kristalina Georgieva arrived in Kyiv on Thursday.
Georgieva will meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko, central bank chief Andriy Pyshnyi and Finance Minister Serhiy Marchenko, according to IMF spokesperson cited by Bloomberg News.
Georgieva was last in Kyiv in 2023. A possibility of her visit was mentioned in October 2025.
The International Monetary Fund said in November 2025 that it had reached a staff-level agreement with the Ukrainian government on a new four-year, USD 8.1 billion program under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement.
“The program is expected to catalyze large-scale external support to close Ukraine’s financing gaps. In the baseline, the total financing gap is calculated at around US$136.5 billion for 2026-29. In 2026-27, Ukraine faces a residual financing gap (taking into account existing financing commitments) of around US$63 billion,” Gavin Grey, IMF mission chief in Ukraine then said in a statement.
Georgieva told Reuters on Thursday she expected to ask the Fund’s executive board to approve a new lending program for Ukraine in a matter of weeks.
Among the preliminary measures for a positive decision by the board of directors were the approval by the European Union of a new financial support program for Ukraine, the adoption of the 2026 state budget, and the move to expand the tax base by adopting legislation on taxation of income received through digital platforms, closing customs loopholes for the import of consumer goods, and submitting a bill to abolish VAT registration privileges, Interfax Ukraine said.
The new agreement is to replace the existing USD 15.6 billion Extended Fund Facility approved in March 2023. Ukraine has received most of the financing under the program.
