Ukraine’s state power operator finished building physical barriers around key equipment just as Russia continues targeting energy facilities nationwide.

Supervisory board member Yuriy Boyko announced Thursday that Ukrenergo has completed the first phase of passive protection construction for critical equipment at its substations, with the second phase set to finish by the first quarter of 2026.

The milestone comes as Ukraine races to physically shield its power infrastructure from relentless Russian attacks that have destroyed 70% of the country’s generating capacity since February 2022.

According to Boyko, the company has completed the first phase. It is now actively constructing the second phase, with over 80% of the second phase scheduled for completion by year’s end during a briefing at the Media Center of Ukraine in Kyiv.

Engineering protection for 20-70 hectare sites

The passive protection focuses on the most critical equipment at Ukrenergo’s massive substations spanning 20-70 hectares each. Boyko explained that it’s impossible to cover entire substations, and therefore, resources must concentrate on the most critical elements, particularly autotransformers, which the Russians actively targeted in the war’s first year.

Boyko noted that work progresses more slowly in frontline regions where air raid alerts and military risks create extended pauses.

Three levels of protection against attacks

Ukraine has developed multiple protection levels for its energy system. The first level involves gabions—wire cages filled with rocks or sandbags—and sandbags protecting 90 facilities across 21 regions from debris.

The second level uses concrete structures around Ukrenergo’s primary network, covering 22 substations and 63 autotransformers in 14 regions as of January 2025.

The third level protects against direct missile strikes. In 2023, the United States provided 20,000 tonnes of reinforcing steel through USAID, and by January 2025, third-level protection had begun at 22 sites.

Strategic push for decentralization

The protection construction aligns with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s recent directive to National Security and Defense Council Secretary Rustem Umerov to coordinate additional short and medium-range air defense procurement while increasing funding for drone manufacturers.

Ukraine’s energy strategy now emphasizes replacing large, vulnerable power plants with hundreds of smaller distributed generators. In 2024, Ukrenergo purchased 600 MW of auxiliary generation services, and almost 500 MW from new facilities will come online by 2026.