Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a first shipment of industrial boilers from Italy has already arrived in Ukraine, providing 116 megawatts of additional power generation capacity as the country struggles with damage from Russian strikes on energy infrastructure.
Speaking to reporters on 20 January, Zelenskyy said the equipment will help stabilize the energy system during winter but declined to say where it has been deployed, citing the risk of further Russian attacks. He added that Ukraine is counting on additional deliveries.
The shipment is part of agreements reached between Zelenskyy and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Zelenskyy said he also discussed Ukraine’s energy needs with several other European leaders, including German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Hundreds more boilers expected
On Sunday, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Ukrainian President’s Office, said the first stage of Italian assistance includes 78 industrial boilers with a combined capacity of 116.5 megawatts.
Budanov said a second phase of support is planned over the next six months. During that period, Ukraine is expected to receive more than 300 additional boilers with a total capacity of 806 megawatts.
He said the equipment would be sent to communities experiencing the most severe damage from Russian attacks and is critical given the continued targeting of power and heating infrastructure.
Ukraine’s energy grid under sustained attack
Ukraine’s energy system has come under repeated large-scale strikes since late 2024, with Russia focusing on power plants, substations, and heating facilities during the winter months. The attacks have caused rolling outages and forced emergency measures across multiple regions.
