Ukraine, the state of play
Ukraine’s Ambassador to Portugal Maryna Mykhailenko - Photo: Sofiya Shovikova
Christmas Day saw the 13th massive attack of 2024 on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure
Just before Christmas, Portugal Resident met up with Ukraine’s Ambassador to Portugal, Maryna Mykhailenko. In addition to discussion of possible political scenarios for 2025, the wide-ranging conversation included Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure against which Russia has launched more than 1,000 attacks since October 2022.
At this time of year, daytime temperatures in Ukraine can often descend below zero. At night, they are even lower. The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine (HRMMU) has described Russia’s attacks as a widespread and systematic attempt to destroy services essential to the health and survival of civilian populations.
The Ambassador greeting President of Portugal Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa -Photo: Sofiya Shovikova
Deliberate targeting of civilian energy infrastructure to destroy a country’s energy system violates basic principles of International Humanitarian Law and constitutes an act of terror and a war crime. In 2024, there were no less than a dozen massive missile and drone attacks on Ukraine’s power grid.
Nearly 90% of Ukraine’s thermal generation capacity and a third of hydroelectric generation capacity have been destroyed. Nationwide scheduled power outages are now a part of daily life for most Ukrainians. The Ukrainian government acknowledges Russia’s intention to achieve a catastrophic blackout of Ukraine, through the destruction of heat-producing and transmission infrastructure, to shred civilian morale and ultimately force Ukraine to the negotiating table in a weakened and exhausted condition.
Carrying out repairs to the damaged energy infrastructure is a costly process that the Ukrainian government estimates at 1 billion USD. There is an urgent need for repair equipment. Repairs also require expanded teams of technicians, working round the clock in the hope their efforts will not be reduced to rubble by yet another Russian strike.
In 2022, the Portuguese energy company Galp allocated a €6.5 million humanitarian package to Ukraine that included much-needed electricity generators. Portugal Resident has contacted Galp by email to find out if they plan to repeat their support this winter. We await a reply.
Official visit to Portugal of President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in May 2024 – Photo: Sofiya Shovikova
Ambassador Mykhailenko has led the Ukrainian mission to Portugal since May 2023, a period during which the balance of force in the war has often appeared to be slipping in Russia’s favour. Despite huge amounts of Western support, the Ukrainian military is under-resourced, the civilian population exhausted and the international community increasingly prone to war fatigue.
Out of a total Ukrainian community in Portugal of about 85,000 people, approximately 46,000 are refugees who have been granted Temporary Protection by the Portuguese state. Ambassador Mykhailenko describes the integration of these refugees in the Portuguese health service, schools and housing. She is deeply grateful for this welcome by the Portuguese administration and civil society, while pointing out that the special needs of this displaced population remain an ongoing requirement.
The day after taking up his new role as President of the European Council, former Portuguese Prime Minister António Costa made an official visit to Kyiv.
On the military front, Portugal is a member of the international ‘tank coalition’ which has provided Ukraine with powerful Western-made tanks. Portugal is also currently providing training for Ukrainian pilots and mechanics to operate F16 high-performance jet fighters.
With a relatively small defence budget – Portugal has yet to fulfil its commitment to reach the NATO target of 2% of GDP – Portugal’s military contribution to improving Ukraine’s position is, however, fairly modest.
Ukraine’s children have been particularly hard hit by the war: violence, loss of family members, disrupted schooling, nights in shelters, homes destroyed and the deportation of children to Russia (for which President Putin was issued an arrest warrant by the International Criminal Court) …
With Estonia, Portugal is organising the reconstruction of the Lyceum 25 school in Zhytomyr, another civilian target destroyed by Russia early in the war. Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska, backs the development of Superhero Schools for children forced to endure long-term hospital stays through her Olena Zelenska Foundation.
State Emergency Service of Ukraine
In 2023, 40% of Ukraine’s population required some form of humanitarian assistance (UN Ukraine Humanitarian Fund).
Christmas Day saw the 13th massive attack of 2024 on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. President Zelensky declared, “Putin deliberately chose Christmas for an attack. What could be more inhuman”.
Wars do eventually come to an end, and populations attempt to rebuild their lives. The generosity of the Portuguese government will hopefully extend to the reconstruction of Ukraine with the support of enterprising Portuguese businesses and individuals to participate in this enormous task.
First published Portugal Resident, December 2025
