"Donbass, despite availability of a large number of generating capacities, received more electricity than provided to the united power grid. That is, an imbalance was also in good times. Now the situation is a bit different, because there are no previous volumes of electricity consumption there. I think that it is enough now electricity generated in the occupied territories of the Donbas for their own needs. It is necessary to understand that many mines and other enterprises have ceased to work or have been taken to Russia," Gonchar said.
According to him, it was previously impossible for technical reasons to stop supplying electricity.
"Why had not this done before? Our power system is built in such a way that, in case of power cut off, some cities under Ukraine's control would also remain without electricity. It took time to resolve technical issues. The grids are now looped, and they can work without affecting the occupied territories. Furthermore, I think nobody paid us for electricity supplied to the occupied Donbass. Given that the war continues, we must minimize all ties with the occupied territories," Gonchar stressed.
He emphasized that such decision of Ukrenergo would reduce vulnerability of the Ukrainian power system to potential cyberattacks.
"This is absolutely the right move. It is highly undesirable in order someone to control part of the country's united energy system. In this case, you can talk about serious vulnerability. And we remember that Ukraine's energy system has twice become the object of powerful cyber attacks. That is, trying, on the basis of humanitarian considerations, to preserve energy interconnections, can be more harmful than taking such disruptive measures. So, in my opinion, we should raise a monument to "Ukrenergo"," Gonchar summed up.
On July 26, Ukraine stopped supplying electricity to the occupied regions of the Donetsk region.
Ukraine stopped supplying electric power to controlled by militants territories of Luhansk region in April. The militants of "LPR" claimed that they received electricity from Russia and the occupied part of the Donetsk region.
