Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed the government to update the monthly bonus program for energy sector workers involved in repair and restoration work for the current autumn and winter. According to RBC-Ukraine, the head of state made this statement while commenting on the progress of the energy system's recovery following attacks. He said that the program, which "proved its worth last year," must be extended so that specialists working under shelling feel the support of society.
Updating the Program for Autumn and Winter
“Today I instructed the government that this autumn and winter we need to update the program that worked so well last year. Everyone involved in these repairs, the energy workers, need monthly bonuses so that people feel society values what they do and how they work,” Zelenskyy emphasized. Thus, the monthly payments previously introduced for repair crews are being preserved as a tool for retaining and motivating personnel during the critical heating season.
Crew Rotations in the Most Difficult Conditions
Separately, the president pointed out the need to rotate teams working in the most difficult conditions. According to him, "these weeks across Ukraine, repair crews and energy workers have been working almost around the clock—restoring electricity supplies after Russian shelling." Zelenskyy called the repair workers' actions "colossal work" and emphasized that this is why it is important not only to pay specialists extra, but also to regularly change crew compositions so as not to push people to their absolute limits.
New Tactics of Attacks on the Energy System
Commenting on the nature of the damage, the head of state reported a change in tactics: according to him, strikes are being carried out not only against generation facilities, but also against energy grids and distribution systems. "A lot of work on restoration and constantly new strikes. Dozens of strikes a day," Zelenskyy stated, explaining the high intensity and continuity of the work of repair services in all regions.
Context: Support Program Introduced in January 2026
Recall that in January 2026, the Ukrainian government introduced a separate support program for energy workers who worked in repair and restoration crews during the winter period. It covered specialists who performed round-the-clock work in difficult conditions—under shelling and in severe frost—restoring the energy system in all regions of the country. The president's current instruction effectively extends and updates this mechanism for the new autumn-winter season, maintaining the monthly nature of the payments.
