President Joe Biden's administration will work with the U.S. Congress to help Ukraine rebuild its energy and electricity infrastructure and defend it against continued Russian attacks, U.S. Sec. of State Antony Blinken announced Jan 18 on Twitter and in a State Department statement.
"Today we announced an additional $125 million in funding to support Ukraine’s energy and electric grid against Russia’s attacks designed to leave millions without power during the winter months," Blinken stated in the tweet.
The $125 million would be funded by the Additional Ukraine Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023, which passed in December. The monies will be used for industrial equipment essential to maintain heating systems and water supplies in Kyiv and the surrounding area, according to the State Department (DOS). The funding "is on top of already significant funds and other support to Ukraine to maintain it energy and electrical grid in all parts of the country against Russia’s illegal and brutal war," the DOS reports.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has delivered 1,548 generators to 22 oblasts (regions) across Ukraine and invested $55 million in heating infrastructure since the start of the Russian invasion, according to a Jan. 18 USAID report. In addition to the assistance provided for Ukraine's energy grid, USAID has also helped farmers in Ukraine continue growing food, filling critical gaps in Ukraine's health system, and supporting actions to document and pursue accountability for war crimes and human rights abuses and violations, according to the report.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced in November the "Points of Invincibility" (POI) program, which will be activated when power "cannot be restored within hours" of an attack. Ukrainians can go to POI locations for basic services such as electricity, mobile communications and the Internet, heat, water and first-aid, "and find out where the nearest gas station, bank, pharmacy and grocery store are operating," the announcement stated.
"Throughout its war against Ukraine, Russia has systematically targeted the energy grid in order to leave millions without power, water, or heat," Blinken said in the DOS statement.
"Russia, in doing so, has sought to sap Ukraine’s resilience and determination during the cold winter months," Blinken said. "Nevertheless, these attacks have made the Ukrainians only even more determined to persevere."
