Kremlin Threatens to Hold Ukraine Power Hostage, but Kyiv's Not Buying It

A top Kremlin official threatened Friday that Ukraine will only see improvements in energy supply issues if the war-torn country recognizes Russia's demands in its "special military operation."

But a local Ukrainian leader also expressed confidence on Friday that the arrival of new air defense equipment in the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv would allow Ukraine to better protect itself from Russian attacks on its critical infrastructure.

In a post on his Telegram channel, Dmitry Medvedev, the deputy head of Russia's Security Council, noted what he said was the Kyiv regime's purchase of electricity from Slovakia. On Thursday, the JSC Energy Company of Ukraine announced that it had made the "first test delivery of electricity from Slovakia" in order to "support the energy system of Ukraine in the event of a shortage of generating capacity."

JSC said in a release that it had received the right to import due to an open auction, held on October 25 by Ukraine's power system operator NEC Ukrenergo, for "access to interstate power grids." Because of this, JSC was able to import one megawatt of electricity from European Union member Slovakia on Thursday.

Such an import has become especially important for Ukraine in the wake of Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure, including energy facilities, throughout the month. The strikes have increased concerns for how Ukraine's energy supplies will fare in the approaching cold winter months amid the ongoing war.

NEC Ukrenergo announced on its Telegram page Monday that it was introducing electricity-use restrictions in several parts of Ukraine in order to reduce the load on power grids and give energy companies time to repair equipment damaged by the Russian attacks.

"As a result of rocket attacks and damage to the energy infrastructure, the risks of a sustainable heating period have increased significantly," JSC chief Vitaliy Butenko said in a statement on the test delivery from Slovakia. "As a government trader, we are looking for opportunities and tools to reduce these risks. Carrying out test deliveries is part of this work. The technical possibility to import electricity from Europe to Ukraine is another tool for stabilizing the operation of our energy system. We must be ready for its implementation."

Medvedev cast doubt in his own Telegram post on whether Slovakia's electricity aid will be able to provide Ukraine the energy stability it desires, suggesting that it will instead "lead to further energy price hikes for both Europeans and Ukrainians."

"The road to the stability of energy supply is different. It requires recognizing the legitimacy of Russia's demands within the framework of the special military operation and its results, reflected in our Constitution. Then the power supply situation will get better," he said.

Russia has referred to its invasion of Ukraine as a "special military operation" rather than a war. In launching the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said that his objectives included demilitarizing and "denazifying" Ukraine, as well as ensuring its "neutral status."

But Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko indicated that Ukraine's energy situation may soon improve in the capital, which faced repeated attacks from Russia when it carried out its wave of strikes this month. Klitschko said that the electricity deficit in the capital currently ranges from 20 percent to 50 percent, but NEC Ukrenergo hope to erase this deficit within the next couple weeks provided that Russia does not damage its infrastructure more in the meantime, the Ukrainian Independent Information Agency of News (UNIAN) reported Friday.

Klitschko also announced that Kyiv had received new air defense equipment to protect its power facilities, according to UNIAN, which could allow Ukraine to head off any renewed attacks by Russia.

Newsweek reached out to the foreign ministries of Russia and Ukraine for comment.