Kiev, Ukraine — A charred transformer from one of Ukraine’s badly damaged power stations has ended up in a square in Kiev’s city center – a stark reminder of the scale of destruction caused by Russian attacks on the country’s energy system.
The massive, blackened colossus next to a Ferris wheel further down Kontraktova Square – or Square of Contracts in honor of the town’s trading history – also serves as a contrast between the peacetime that was there and the harsh reality of the war in Ukraine.
The exhibition by private energy company DTEK, a non-governmental organization and the Ukrainian Ministry of Energy opened Thursday with a message calling on people to feel “the pain and despair over the destroyed equipment” that energy workers are experiencing firsthand.
Organizers said that while they realize the transformer creates a somber atmosphere, their intention was not to “put anyone down,” but to raise awareness of how difficult it is to bring light back into the world after every Russian attack houses in Ukraine.
The exhibition will remain in Kiev for the next two months – by which time Ukraine will inch closer to what will likely be another winter of war.
The government has warned residents to brace for the worst winter yet since Russia’s full-scale invasion began in February 2022, as airstrikes on the country’s beleaguered energy infrastructure intensify.
Russia continues to undermine Ukraine’s power generation capacity, leaving the country heavily dependent on its three functioning nuclear power plants and electricity imports from European Union countries.
According to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, there have been more than 1,000 attacks on the country’s power grid.
“There is no place, no region, no energy infrastructure that has not been affected by these attacks,” he said in a statement.
Ukrainians, meanwhile, are experiencing frequent nationwide power outages, leaving them without electricity for hours. The shortages have exacerbated war fatigue, as there appears to be no end in sight to the conflict.
Dmytro Tiuzin, a 37-year-old IT specialist who lives near Kontraktova Square, said he came to see the transformer in person on Thursday after seeing images of the installation on social media.
“I’m worried about it,” he said of the destruction of Ukraine’s energy system. “I work remotely and am very dependent on electricity and internet.”
Russia launched nine coordinated attacks on Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure in the months between March and August, destroying around 9 gigawatts of electricity generation capacity, according to a UN report on Thursday.
This amount represents half of Ukraine’s energy needs during the winter months, the UN Human Rights Observation Mission report said.
“This winter will be bad enough and people will likely experience planned power outages across the country,” said Danielle Bell, head of mission. “Any additional attacks that lead to extended power outages could have catastrophic consequences.”
Repairing the damage caused can take years. The Kyiv School of Economics estimated in an assessment published in May that restoring the energy sector will require $50 billion.
“This project is not about making people feel depressed about how bad things are,” said Katya Taylor of Port of Culture, an NGO that curated the exhibition.
“But rather just to thank the people who are there for us,” she added.
Serhii, a worker at the power plant where the transformer came from, said he had worked there for 32 years of his life. The name of the power plant and Serhii’s family name could not be made public due to security reasons under government regulations.
“Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes when I see this,” he said.
The destruction he witnesses also makes him angry and determined not to give up, “no matter what.”
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