Stepped-up Russian attacks on Ukraine's power grid are leading to power outages. But the country is getting help from its neighboring countries in Central and Eastern Europe to keep the power on.
Ukraine's electricity imports from Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia have grown significantly in recent months. In June, it amounted to 858.3 gigawatt-hours, an increase of 91 percent compared to May, according to figures from the Kiev-based consulting firm Expro.
Hungary accounted for the largest electricity export, with 42 percent of the total figure. Slovakia's electricity exports to Ukraine have also increased significantly. At the same time, both Hungary and Slovakia have refused to provide military support to Ukraine, and have friendly relations with Russia.
Ukraine's own electricity production has decreased significantly since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022. The imports have made it possible for Ukraine to limit its power outages and schedule them to specific hours of the day.
Ukraine connected to the European power grid just hours before the full-scale invasion. Initially, it was planned as a temporary test that required the country to disconnect from Russian electricity, but it was made permanent after the Russian invasion.
