Further mass displacement possible in Ukraine if energy sector hit, UN warns

By Emma Farge

Any additional Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy system could trigger a further wave of mass displacement as winter approaches, a senior U.N. official said on Friday.

As the war grinds towards its third winter, civilians are more vulnerable than at any other winter during the conflict due to Russian strikes on its energy system and donor fatigue, said U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine Matthias Schmale.

"The real concern is if they were to target the energy sector again, this could be a tipping point...for further mass movements, both inside the country and outside the country," he told reporters in Geneva.

Any further displacement would add to the 3.6 million that are currently displaced within Ukraine and the more than 6 million who have fled across its borders to escape the conflict that began when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Around 65% of Ukraine's own energy production is currently offline due to Russian strikes which is more than at this same point of the year in 2022 or 2023, Schmale said.

Ukraine now relies mostly on power generated by its nuclear plants and its grid operator this week introduced power limits for businesses in the first such move since August after a massive Russian missile and drone attack.

The United Nations and partners are implementing the Humanitarian Winter Response Plan aiming to address emergency needs by delivering fuel and other items to help people stay warm.

Shelters, known as Invincibility Points, where residents can warm up and drink tea have also been set up, he said.

Schmale voiced particular concern about people stranded in high-rise buildings and the disabled and elderly living close to the front line in Kharkiv and Kherson.

So far, aid workers have reached about half of the 1.7 million people targeted but funding shortages are constraining efforts, he said.

This year, the U.N. humanitarian response has received $1.8 billion out of $3.1 billion sought which is less than in 2022 and 2023, he said.

"So the trend is clearly downwards, but we still get a lot of money compared to other crisis situations and our plea is that this is maintained because the war is not over."