WARSAW, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Poland is sending hundreds of generators to Ukraine, authorities and fundraisers said on Friday, as Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure leave citizens facing a bitter winter without heat or electricity.
Russia’s onslaught on Ukraine’s energy system has led to power and water outages in Kyiv that typically last three to four times longer than in previous winters. Temperatures in the capital at night have plunged as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Russia says its attacks on Ukraine are designed to degrade its ability to fight. Ukraine says the aim is to harm civilians and break the national will. Poland has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine throughout the war.
“Given the dire situation in Ukraine… Prime Minister Donald Tusk has ordered equipment to protect civilians from the effects of freezing temperatures,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
Members of the public in Poland have so far donated over 5.8 million zlotys ($1.62 million) to a fundraising campaign to buy generators for Kyiv.
“For us, it is a gesture of support - for them, a real chance to survive the winter,” fundraisers said on their website.
The Interior Ministry said that 379 power generators and 18 heaters will be delivered to Ukraine from the Government Agency for Strategic Reserves, with another 447 power generators provided using European Union funds.
The Polish capital, Warsaw, is also donating 90 generators to Kyiv.
“We are all observing what is happening in Ukraine right now, these brutal Russian attacks on critical infrastructure, on Ukrainian cities, which are, of course, causing civilian casualties, but have also led to a large part of Kyiv being cut off from energy and electricity supplies,” Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski told a news conference.
($1 = 3.5809 zlotys)
(Reporting by Alan Charlish, Marek strzelecki, Kuba StezyckiEditing by Peter Graff)
