Denmark to allocate nearly $5 million to restore Ukraine's energy infrastructure in Kharkiv, Mykolaiv oblasts

A view of the city during the blackout on March 25, 2024 in Kharkiv, Ukraine. On the morning of March 22, the Russian army attacked energy infrastructure facilities in Kharkiv and the region. (Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)

The Danish Foreign Affairs Ministry will allocate 4.7 million euros (nearly $5 million) to the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine's energy infrastructure restoration in Mykolaiv and Kharkiv oblasts, the Energy Ministry announced on June 26.

A recent uptick in Russian strikes put a heavy strain on Ukraine's power grid, with several power plants being destroyed or disabled.

The energy sector suffered direct damage and indirect financial losses in the amount of $56.2 billion, while the restoration needs are $50.5 billion, according to the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) report.

"Denmark became the first sponsor of the Energy Support Fund for Ukraine, making a contribution to the restoration of the Ukrainian energy sector back in April 2022. We sincerely thank our partners for this unwavering position and continued support," Ukraine's Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko said.

"It is especially urgently needed in the frontline regions, whose energy facilities are subject to daily enemy attacks."

The Energy Support Fund for Ukraine was established on the joint initiative of Halushchenko and European Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson in the spring of 2022.

The total amount of donor contributions to the fund are over 551 million euros (around $558 million) as of June, according to Ukraine's ministry.

Germany, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Austria have contributed funds or declared their intentions to contribute to the fund over the past few weeks, the statement read.

Since the start of 2024, Russia has launched eight large-scale attacks against Ukraine's energy infrastructure and multiple smaller ones.

An attack in April destroyed the Trypillia Thermal Power Plant, the main electricity supplier to Kyiv, Zhytomyr, and Cherkasy oblasts.

Due to resulting power deficits, Ukraine began implementing rolling shutdowns on May 15. The blackouts last from four to eight hours on average and could be carried out up to three times per day.

Read also: Russian attacks on infrastructure increasing risk of infectious diseases in Ukraine, health minister warns