Recently appointed Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi chaired a meeting of the Energy Headquarters on Monday, Aug. 10, reviewing preparations for the upcoming winter as Russia continues to intensify its strikes on critical energy infrastructure.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy Svitlana Grynchuk presented reports, alongside heads of Naftogaz, Ukrenergo, Energoatom, Ukrhydroenergo, Centrenergo, DTEK, and the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine, Koretskyi said in a statement detailing the meeting.
“We reviewed forecasted balances of electricity and gas, based on various scenarios for getting through the winter,” Koretskyi said, adding that “it is important that energy companies work proactively and take on additional responsibility.”
Officials identify priority areas
During the meeting, officials reviewed forecasted balances for electricity and gas under various scenarios for getting through the winter.
“We identified the areas where work needs to be urgently accelerated,” Koretskyi said, adding that the meeting focused on protecting critical infrastructure and building reserve stockpiles of fuel and equipment to enable the quick restoration of any facilities damaged by possible future Russian attacks.
The meeting comes as Ukraine continues to prepare its residents and critical infrastructure for the upcoming winter. Russia is widely expected to shift its winter campaign away from attacking Ukraine’s power grid, including heating and electricity, toward targeting water infrastructure instead.
Recently, Russia has redirected resources toward weapons it considers more reliable and effective, exceeding production targets for several key missile systems, Maj. Gen. Vadym Skibitsky, deputy chief of the Ukrainian military’s Main Intelligence Directorate (HUR) said on Monday.
Meanwhile, Ukraine continues to rely on foreign partners for the delivery of Patriot interceptors to defend its sky against Russian ballistic missiles. President Volodymyr Zelensky has warned that domestic Patriot production could take years.
Koretskyi’s energy background
“Following the results of the Energy Headquarters meeting, I gave the relevant directives,” Koretskyi said, adding that “the Ministry of Energy is coordinating and monitoring their implementation.”
Koretskyi has led Ukraine’s energy response since taking office as PM, following his tenure as CEO of Naftogaz, where he previously led the state-owned company’s response to wartime infrastructure damage.
Zelensky praised Koretskyi’s expertise as vital for Ukraine’s winter survival, citing his reforming of Ukrnafta after years of oligarchic control and steering Naftogaz through a difficult previous winter despite Russian strikes.
“Thanks to Serhii, Ukrnafta began working genuinely for our state,” Zelensky said, adding that “despite all the Russian strikes, Ukraine had gas.”
Zelensky said that, under any scenario, Ukraine must be fully ready to protect lives and its people, adding that this remains the main shared task for the new government led by Koretskyi.