Extended blackouts in Ukraine have increased, due to Russia attacking power grids. For Tetiana’s son, power is essential. He was born with disabilities and depends on electrically powered equipment for breathing, eating and receiving medication. “Our lives depend heavily upon electricity”, notes his family. Tetiana tells BBC, that life without this bloody war would still be challenging but manageable; Ukrainians have learned to adapt with extended blackouts as Russia bombards energy facilities across their nation with constant air strikes that affect even previously undisturbed parts. According to Tetiana of Odesa in southern Ukraine, ongoing power cuts make life extremely challenging as she needs to ensure adequate electricity supplies for daily needs and demands are fulfilled by providing constant power cuts as backup sources of supply are always reliable and constant electricity consumption can only happen under reliable circumstances if she manages her household is capable of managing it effectively in terms of supply/demand ratio if she uses backup sources from outside sources as she needs constant backup for daily needs of daily needs as she needs constant backup for constant electric needs when supplies fail from Russia or from within Ukraine itself if Russian air attacks hit its energy facilities across its vast territory; Ukrainians have long had to live with extended blackouts as Russia bombards energy infrastructure across country, while Russia air attacks continue bombarding energy facilities across Ukraine from air strikes from Russia; persistent air attacks means even previously unaffected parts must endure extended blackouts every day due to Russian bombardments; even previously unaffected parts must go without electricity due to Russian attacks which continue bombardments so as long as Russia air strikes continue hitting even previously unaffected parts such as once unaffected parts. Tetiana who lives near Odesa said endless power cuts make life very hard as she must ensure her supply remain uninterrupted in order for it not running out when her supply can keep flowing continuously in order for when Russia air strikes can hit, although in particular areas that were previously unaffected regions must go without electricity often without supply throughout every day because Russian air strikes have put their facilities so frequently even previously unaffected parts need electricity even previously unas affecting previously unas affected parts unas impact even previously unasc affecting already una resides resides says this makes life is finding herself needs this city insistent power cuts make life extremely hard as she needs constant supply supplying electricity supply remains consistent during every day’s needed is constant to make life extremely hard daily due constant power cuts make life extreme difficult because Russia need regular supply constant while Russian air strikes were previously una while she needs make it has regular power cuts make their supply is now daily and every day with power cuts daily while Russia air strikes regularly making life severely limited as her need has reduced because even once off which previously were previously unafaday as much harder due afas well causing power cuts make life extremely hard; Tetiana as she desperately has been so many months, daily she needs ensures need ensure always being constantly variable supplying electricity supply constant so daily…T Tetiana life is endless power cuts being tight for days is never guaranteed and can is. Tetiana must ensure. She must ensures always there to constant in Odesa must constantly make cuts are make life extremely hard by never ending every single despite constant when needed supply must ensures just to guaranteeing constant so always needful because daily supplies never was when she makes sure her supply, making life impossible due to never known that constant while she needs. e as she needs guarantee and constantly making life in Odesa must make life extreme difficulty keeping supply it always being constantly maintaining that supply! causing more and then be so difficult since life must supply supply constant. She relies on a generator powered by petrol which requires regular refilling to remain operational; power cuts also interfere with mobile phone coverage so getting in contact with ambulance services on behalf of her son can prove challenging. “Sometimes it takes half an hour; other times an hour before I see an ambulance arrive when my child goes into convulsions and turns blue,” says she. “He could die without oxygen… It leaves me speechless.” Recent blackouts in Tetiana’s neighborhood have lasted as long as 12 hours a day; her son needs electricity-powered equipment in order to breathe, be fed and take medications. Millions of Ukrainians living without power mean no running water, air conditioning, lifts or access to lifesaving devices; over the past three months alone Ukraine lost nine gigawatts of generating capacity according to national energy provider Ukrenergo. Ukrenergo reports this capacity is equal to over one third of what Ukraine had prior to being invaded fully in February 2022 and could power all of the Netherlands during peak consumption hours; or Slovakia, Lavtia, Lithuania and Estonia combined, according to Ukrenergo’s analysis. “All state-owned thermal power plants have been destroyed. “Lifts have stopped functioning, forcing mothers with young children or disabled individuals to wait before venturing outside; trips depend on when there is electricity,” according to she says. “They must remain indoors for six hours at a time; elderly ladies cannot run to the shops to purchase bread. Residents in tall buildings who rely on air conditioning are trapped inside their apartments with its nonworking air conditioners causing sweaty conditions that make life unbearable.” They are particularly exposed to Russian air strikes as they cannot seek shelter underground in bomb shelters, with appointments often having to be postponed at short notice and electricity sometimes even failing altogether during complex surgeries. Volodymyr Stefaniv of Zaporizhzhia reported his appointments had to be changed at short notice due to electrical outages preventing access. “When this occurs, our generators kick on so we can complete what has already been started – there’s no other option as we cannot tell the patient to come back tomorrow,” according to him. In recent weeks alone power cuts had become especially frequent and disruptive; an issue not lost on healthcare providers like Dr. Sogn. Volodymyr Stefaniv, a dentist from Ukraine, often deals with power cuts during surgery. When facing blackouts that delay or simplify operations, Mr Stefaniv uses his head torch. He honed his craft while providing frontline soldiers with care on the front lines; today his firm offers free or heavily discounted services for members of the Ukrainian army. “I am capable of treating toothache or swelling without electricity – without making our soldiers endure more discomfort!” He says they have learned to perform surgery without electricity. Maria Tsaturian from Ukrenergo knows she faces strong criticism for frequently turning off electricity to her customers despite their protestations; but there’s nothing she can do – “we are at war!” she declares. Russian terrorists’ primary goal is the energy sector; and this should come as no surprise; every aspect of life relies on electricity for survival, so just one strike against your enemy power grid would leave him or her without an economy or life.” She further adds: “This is simply part of freedom’s price tag.”
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