site.btaState-Level Emergency Declared in Odesa After Massive Attack on City's Energy Infrastructure

A state-level emergency has been declared in Odesa and Odesa Region following a massive attack on the Ukrainian city's energy infrastructure, Oleh Kiper, Head of the Odesa Regional Military Administration, said on his Telegram channel. The decision was taken at a meeting of the commission on technogenic and environmental safety and emergency situations at the Regional Military Administration, Kiper said.

The decision was prompted by the consequences of a recent Russian attack on energy facilities, which has led to a prolonged disruption of normal living conditions for over three days for more than 50,000 residents of the region, he said.

By a separate decision, the commission instructed the heads of military administrations, community leaders and National Police bodies "to conduct preventive and explanatory work with businesses on the need for minimal use of illumination and decorative lighting in order to save electricity for the population and critical infrastructure facilities".

Kiper also said it was decided to additionally allocate part of the reserve fund to communities to replenish stocks of fuel and lubricants. This is necessary to ensure the uninterrupted operation of generators supplying critical infrastructure facilities, including hospitals, educational institutions, temporary accommodation centres, known locally as points of invincibility, and other vital institutions.

Bulgarians in Odesa Region number more than 150,000 and were the third largest population group in Ukraine in 2001, according to the official census. About 50,000 - 60,000 Bulgarians live in the city of Odesa itself. The largest compact Bulgarian population is concentrated in the Bolhrad, Izmail and Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi districts.