|
In response to
"Ukrainians find devastation where Russians retreat. -- (edited)"
by
crash davis
|
Displaced Ukrainians are urged not to return this winter.
|
Ukrainians who fled the country during the war should not return this winter, a senior government official said on Tuesday, in the latest acknowledgment of the hardship the country faces in the months ahead as Russia continues to attack the country’s energy system.
Millions of Ukrainians left early in the war when it looked as though Russian forces might seize the capital, Kyiv. Most found refuge in Poland and other neighboring countries. But as the situation has stabilized in Kyiv and elsewhere, many people whose homes are not in Russian-occupied areas or places devastated by Russian attacks have faced a dilemma about whether to return.
Ukraine’s energy system has been pounded by Russian aerial attacks in recent weeks, raising concerns over how people will heat their homes as winter sets in. A barrage of missiles launched by Moscow starting Oct. 10 killed dozens of people across the country and targeted power plants and electricity sub stations, knocking out at least 30 percent of the country’s energy infrastructure, according to President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine.
“I will ask you not to return. We have to survive the winter,” said the deputy prime minister, Iryna Vereshchuk, in an interview on a telethon on Ukrainian television. “If there is an opportunity, stay and spend the winter abroad for the time being.”
The statement by Ms. Vereshchuk, who is also the minister for reintegration of territories that have been occupied by Russia, appeared to represent government advice rather than an order.
A report released on Friday by the United Nations refugee agency estimated that around 7.7 million refugees from Ukraine were living in other countries across Europe. The displacement, which began when Russia launched its full scale invasion in February, represents Europe’s largest since World War II, though some Ukrainians have returned, either on a temporary or permanent basis. In addition, more than 6 million people fled their homes in Ukraine to safer parts of the country.
Last week, officials urged Ukrainians to curb their electricity usage by avoiding using household appliances like electric kettles and microwaves to ease pressure on the energy grid while repairs are made.
The state power company said it had imposed energy restrictions in a string of regions, including Kyiv, while it tried to restore services.
— Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Carly Olson
|