---
title: "“Give us air defense to protect the power grid”: DTEK CEO appeals to partners in Brussels ahead of winter"
description: "DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko called on international partners at an event in Brussels to strengthen Ukraine's air defense to protect the power grid ahead of winter."
date: 2026-11-14T15:02:03.394Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/dtek-timchenko-air-defense-power-grid
tags: [dtek, air-defense, ukraine-energy, maxim-timchenko, energy-infrastructure, brussels]
author: "Darya Fomina"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# “Give us air defense to protect the power grid”: DTEK CEO appeals to partners in Brussels ahead of winter

![DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko in a business suit making a statement](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/14/dtek-timchenko-pvo-zashchita-energosistemy/dtek-timchenko-pvo-zashchita-energosistemy-1.webp)

## Key Points

- DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko called on international partners to strengthen Ukraine's air defense to protect energy infrastructure.
- The statement was made in Brussels at the “Support Ukraine, Defend Europe” event, organized by the Kyiv Security Forum Office.
- BBC journalists at a DTEK thermal power plant recorded some of the largest destruction in five years of war.
- Timchenko noted that passive protection and equipment stocks cannot replace active air defense.

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.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [CEO ДТЭК Тимченко призвал международных партнеров усилить ПВО Украины](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/ceo-dtek-timchenko-zaklikav-mizhnarodnih-1794666034.html) - Primary source: Timchenko's statement at a meeting with foreign journalists, BBC visit to the TPP, quotes on air defense and winter context.
- [Гендиректор ДТЭК Тимченко призвал европейских партнеров усилить защиту украинской энергетики](https://www.unian.net/economics/energetics/gendirektor-dtek-timchenko-prizval-evropeyskih-partnerov-usilit-zashchitu-ukrainskoy-energetiki-13544721.html) - Confirms location (Brussels), “Support Ukraine, Defend Europe” event format, strikes on substations and power lines, lack of equipment, and the passive vs. active defense thesis.
- [Глава ДТЭК Тимченко призвал международных партнеров усилить защиту украинской энергетики от ...](https://www.obozrevatel.com/section-ekonomika-glavnaya/news-ochilnyk-dtek-timchenko-zaklykav-mizhnarodnykh-partneriv-posylyty-zakhyst-ukrayinskoyi-enerhetyky-vid-rosiyskykh-atak-30-10-2026.html) - Подтверждено по источнику obozrevatel.com
- [Глава ДТЭК Тимченко в Брюсселе призвал партнеров усилить защиту украинской энергетики](https://zn.ua/energetics/hlava-dtek-timchenko-v-brjussele-prizval-partnerov-usilit-zashchitu-ukrainskoj-enerhetiki.html) - Confirms location (Brussels) and event date (10/30/2026).

## FAQ

### Who made the call to strengthen air defense and where?

DTEK CEO Maxim Timchenko during the “Support Ukraine, Defend Europe” event in Brussels, organized by the Kyiv Security Forum Office.

### What exactly is Timchenko asking from international partners?

He is asking for air defense systems to protect Ukraine’s power grid, stating that this will protect the daily lives of millions of people.

### What kind of destruction was shown to the journalists?

BBC journalists visited one of DTEK's thermal power plants, where, according to Timchenko, there was some of the greatest destruction seen in five years of war.

### Why, according to the DTEK head, is resilience not enough?

Timchenko argues that passive protection and repairs cannot replace active air defense, and that there are not enough spare parts/equipment to repair damaged facilities.