White House Slams Putin’s Attack on Ukraine’s Energy Grid

The White House condemned Russia’s attack on the Ukrainian energy grid on Friday while using the incident to press the GOP-controlled House to pass the stalled foreign aid bill.

“Overnight, Russia launched one of its largest aerial assaults against Ukraine’s energy grid since the war began — depriving many people across the country of heat, water, and electricity in the still cold days of early spring,” said National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson in a statement.

On Thursday evening, heavy bombing from Russian forces damaged at least three energy stations in Ukraine, leaving several areas of the country without power. Earlier in the week, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., asking him directly to push his Republican colleagues to pass additional funding measures. Republicans have been reluctant to sign any foreign aid legislation that is not tied to U.S. border security.

The White House statement stressed the urgency of Congress to act, saying, “To help Ukraine protect against these ongoing attacks, we need the House of Representatives to pass the bipartisan national security supplemental bill so we can send Ukraine more air defenses.

“This bombardment — part of a series of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s critical infrastructure — is a terrible reminder of [Russian President] Vladimir Putin’s efforts to break the spirit of the Ukrainian people and plunge them into darkness,” Watson’s statement continued. 

DTEK, the largest of Ukraine’s thermal power providers, said in a statement to S&P Global Community Insights that it could take up to a year to restore power to full service, but that it would be worthwhile only if Ukraine improves its air defense systems.

The statement concluded, “Ukraine’s need is urgent, and we cannot afford any further delays.”