Despite extensive efforts to repair Ukraine’s heavily bombed power grid, 9 million people are still without electricity, says Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in an announcement Monday.

”Naturally, shortages persist. Blackouts are continuing,” Zelenskyy notes in a daily update on Telegram:

”The situation as of this evening in different regions of Ukraine is that nearly nine million people are without electricity. But the numbers and the length of the blackouts are gradually decreasing.”

Over several weeks, Russia has carried out attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, leaving much of nation without power, with many homes in the country also cut off from water and heating.

With such directed aggression, Russia is trying to put further pressure on Ukrainians by choking supply during the coldest winter months, says Kyiv.

In his Monday update, Zelenskyy also warns that Russia could launch further attacks on Ukrainian energy supply.

”Today, I held a special meeting with government officials on the situation in the energy sector and infrastructure. We are preparing for the next year — and not only for the winter months. There are threats that must be eliminated. There are steps to be taken. And the state will definitely make them,” media Kyiv Independent cites the president saying. 

UN figures show that roughly 5 million people have fled from Ukraine and sought temporary asylum in other European countries.

Before the war began in February this year, Ukraine’s population totaled approximately 43 million people.

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