Ukraine needs €5 billion to prepare for next heating season — Zelenskyy

“No one is relaxing. We have six to seven months before the heating season for all the work — protective and construction. There is a challenge in every region, and we discuss it with each one. We need about €5 billion for this program. Big money. But this is our issue, the entire state’s issue. In peacetime this would certainly be a matter for communities,” he said.

Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said plans to attract that amount will be discussed at the next “energy Ramstein” meeting.

Shmyhal noted that the main focus now is on restoring main generation equipment, strengthening protection of critical infrastructure facilities, creating reserves of essential equipment and gas stocks. Ukraine wants to have a “threefold reserve” of equipment, the minister said.

National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov said the approved regional resilience plans “must include a clear algorithm: who is responsible, in what timeframe, with what resources and how implementation is monitored.” The NSDC provides state-level coordination and regular monitoring.

The government will provide protection from drones and missiles for large facilities involved in electricity transit, gas extraction and storage. Meanwhile, regions must ensure proper protection of substations, pumping stations, cogeneration facilities, block-modular boiler houses and new facilities.

“It is important that every city leader, every regional governor and we as the government bear full personal responsibility for preparing regions and cities for the next heating season. And for execution, non-execution or untimely execution we also bear this responsibility,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said.