Maxim Timchenko, CEO of the energy holding DTEK, has appealed to international partners to strengthen Ukraine’s air defense in order to protect energy infrastructure from Russian attacks and ensure electricity for millions of Ukrainian consumers. This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing his statement during a meeting with foreign journalists. According to the CEO, strengthening air defense is necessary not only to protect energy facilities themselves but also to ensure a normal life for the population, which faces increasingly frequent power and heating outages as winter approaches.
Context of the statement: Brussels and the “Support Ukraine, Defend Europe” format
As clarified by Ukrainian outlets, the statement was made during a special event titled “Support Ukraine, Defend Europe,” organized by the newly established Office of the Kyiv Security Forum in Brussels. Timchenko emphasized that Russian strikes on substations and power lines disrupt the energy system even when sufficient generation capacities are available. According to his assessment, the adversary is increasing the intensity of shelling and is purposefully trying to compromise the integrity of the Ukrainian power grid, with the situation remaining particularly difficult in the central and eastern regions of the country.
Scale of destruction: what BBC journalists saw
During their visit, journalists from the British corporation BBC visited one of DTEK’s thermal power plants, where, according to Timchenko, they witnessed destruction on a scale that ranks among the largest in five years of war. The CEO noted that the consequences of these attacks are felt directly by Ukrainian families who are forced to endure hours without light and heat as winter approaches. “Our energy workers are fighting to restore what the Russians destroy. But resilience cannot replace protection,” he stated, pointing to the limits of passive restoration amid ongoing strikes.
Key message: active defense instead of passive resilience
Timchenko emphasized that passive protection of energy facilities cannot fully replace active air defense. According to him, equipment stocks for repairing damaged facilities are insufficient, and the intensity of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure continues to grow. “That is why our message to Ukraine’s partners is very simple: give us air defense to protect our power system, and you will protect the daily life of millions of people,” the DTEK head concluded, linking the supply of air defense systems to the protection of not just industrial infrastructure, but the living conditions of millions of citizens.
Winter context and previous appeals
Previously, Timchenko reported that Rinat Akhmetov’s DTEK is fighting for the survival of the people and the country as a whole during the winter period under current conditions. This appeal to international partners is not his first: previously, the holding’s head had called on the global community to help restore energy infrastructure damaged by shelling. Thus, the call to strengthen air defense in Brussels became a logical continuation of a series of public statements regarding the need for joint protection of the energy system amid the increasing intensity of Russian strikes.
