In the middle of the war in Ukraine, citizens are being prepared for the fact that there will be a shortage of electricity and heat. When winter comes, temporary housing is needed, says Päivi Laine, Finland’s ambassador to Ukraine.
There is tension in Ukraine as to whether Russia plans to carry out spectacular attacks on Ukraine’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on Wednesday. The authorities of the capital city of Kyiv have canceled the planned celebrations.
At the same time, the country already has to look further into the future as the war drags on.
The Ukrainian authorities are already preparing citizens for the fact that there may be a shortage of energy, electricity, heat, even water, Finland’s ambassador to Kyiv Päivi Laine says.
– It’s terrible what the winter will be like.
Laine participates in the annual meeting of ambassadors in Helsinki. The war has changed the diplomat’s work in Ukraine.
– The basis of our operations at the moment is that we have the ability and capacity to evacuate. However, Russia is a military power that can reach all over Ukraine with its weapons, says Laine.
On the other hand, the capital Kyiv has recently been spared from attacks. In Kyiv, the authorities are grateful for the presence of foreign diplomats.
– The relationship with the Ukrainians is currently better than before the war, because it is a common interest that we know what Ukraine’s needs are.
Ukraine is facing a serious energy crisis
Russia’s war of aggression has hit Ukraine’s energy infrastructure hard. Access to natural gas is also a problem when the whole of Europe is suffering from a gas shortage.
– However, Ukraine is a country where the winters are cold and there is often a lot of snow, so thermal energy is also really needed, Laine reminds.
The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, taken over by the Russians, is the largest in Europe, and it has produced a significant part of Ukraine’s electricity.
– If Russia either destroys the plant or renders it inoperable or moves electricity export to Crimea – according to experts, it is difficult, but possible – this alone will make a very big dent in Ukraine’s energy production, Päivi Laine points out.
In Ukraine, the heating season usually starts in mid-October.
– There is less than two months left for that, and a lot should be done so that people can be guaranteed normal living conditions when winter comes.
The situation is complicated by the fact that many residential buildings have been destroyed in the war. At the same time, many Ukrainians have had to flee from the occupied territories.
– Ukraine needs a roof over people’s heads when winter starts.
There is no time to do large construction projects before winter comes, so temporary housing is needed in the country. The EU and Finland can finance the Ukrainians’ own plans to produce residential buildings quickly. There is also a great need for so-called modular houses, i.e. container-style temporary housing.
At the same time, Ukrainians hope that the population would not be forced into temporary housing for a long time.
– Temporary easily becomes permanent in crises. Ukraine has a great need to keep life as normal as possible for people, so that the country does not sink into a broken state that is unable to satisfy people’s basic needs, says Päivi Laine.
Industry and agriculture have suffered badly
The war has meant a blow to Ukraine’s economy.
Ukrainian industrial plants have been completely wiped off the face of the earth. One example is the Azovstal steel factory that employed thousands of people in Mariupol, which was completely destroyed. Similarly, important agriculture has suffered and the departure of a few grain ships will not improve the situation yet.
– Now that the new crop is being harvested, there is nowhere to store it.
Ukraine is therefore dependent on Western support. It receives budget support and needs billions of it. Finland provides direct support to Ukraine through, for example, the World Bank. It is intended to be aimed at, for example, teachers’ salaries.
I had to get used to the war
The uncertainty of the protracted war weighs on Ukrainians.
– It’s a similar topic, which is rarely talked about because it’s painful for people, Päivi Laine describes. I had to get used to the war.
– You can’t say that people are numb, but they have to adapt to that situation.
He says that the female colleagues have developed into quite experts in military strategy, they talk about weapon systems like Javelins and HIMARS quite fluently.
– On the other hand, there is constant pain, because many have loved ones, friends and acquaintances on the front. The concern about how people will survive is very high all the time.
Päivi Laine says that everyday life in Kyiv is startlingly normal. The war is now being fought in the east and south, and there have been few airstrikes in Kiev recently.
So far, there have been no attacks right in the historic core of the city. Some of the restaurants are open and you can get goods from the shops almost normally.
– Kyiv is a very wonderful city and the summer has been beautiful, sunny. Sometimes it also gives a bad conscience, when compared to what is happening there elsewhere, says Laine.
Support is still needed
As long as the war continues, Ukraine’s need for aid will at least not decrease. Modern warfare requires a great deal of ammunition and new weapons.
– The Ukrainian army works all the time on the line that there are enough of them, Laine says.
On the humanitarian side, the need for help is also huge. According to UN estimates, almost 18 million Ukrainians currently need external help. Millions of Ukrainians have fled the country.
On the other hand, Ukrainians are already talking about the reconstruction phase, says Päivi Laine.
– Even Finnish companies have a lot of interest in Ukraine at the stage when this reconstruction gets underway.