Poland steps in as Russia continues to attack Ukraine’s energy infrastructure

Hundreds of thousands of homes have been left without power after a series of Russian strikes

Poland has offered Ukraine a lifeline of generators, additional electricity, and access to its LNG terminal, as Russia intensifies its bombardment of the country's energy infrastructure.

The pledge from Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski follows recent Russian strikes that plunged large parts of Kyiv into darkness, leaving an estimated 600,000 households temporarily without power across Ukraine on Friday.

Speaking during a visit to Lviv, Mr Sikorski outlined Poland's commitment to supporting its eastern neighbour.

He affirmed: "Generators, extra electricity supplies, accelerated construction of power connections between Ukraine and Poland, and of course, our LNG terminal in Swinoujscie is at your disposal."

He condemned the attacks as a deliberate tactic, adding: "This is another escalation, because we know why it's being carried out. It's meant to intimidate people ahead of winter."

In August, Polish refiner Orlen said it aimed to keep supplying 100 million cubic metres (mcm) of gas every month to Ukraine after having already delivered 430 mcm this year.

More than 200,000 people were left without power in Ukraine's northeastern Kharkiv region after Russia's overnight attack on the energy system, local governor Oleh Syniehubov said (REUTERS)

The liquefied fuel is imported from the United States to the terminal in Swinoujscie and shipped across Poland to Ukraine.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the Russian attack on Friday was “one of the largest concentrated strikes against energy facilities”.

President Volodymyr Zelensky described the attack as a “cynical and calculated” operation, carried out using over 450 drones and more than three dozen missiles.

Around 110,000 consumers were without power on Friday morning in the Kyiv region, governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

Russia has continued to target key energy infrastructure across Ukraine ahead of winter (UKRAINIAN EMERGENCY SERVICE/AFP)

The attack also damaged energy infrastructure in the central region of Poltava, where around 17,000 consumers were without power, according to local officials.

Ukrainian private energy firm DTEK said its thermal power plants had suffered significant damage in the attack but did not immediately provide further details.