KYIV, Ukraine (AP) 鈥� A charred transformer from one of Ukraine鈥檚 badly damaged power plants has come to a square in Kyiv's city center 鈥� a stark reminder of the scale of destruction caused by .
The massive blackened hulk juxtaposed with a Ferris wheel further down Kontraktova Square 鈥� or Square of Contracts in honor of the place's mercantile past 鈥� also serves as a contrast between the peacetime that was and the harsh reality of war in Ukraine.
The exhibition by private energy company DTEK, a nongovernmental organization and Ukraine鈥檚 Ministry of Energy opened on Thursday with a message urging people to feel "the pain and despair over the destroyed equipment鈥� that energy workers experience first hand.
The organizers said that while they realize the transformer creates a somber atmosphere, their intention was not to 鈥済et anyone down鈥� but to raise awareness of how difficult it is to bring light back to the houses in Ukraine after every Russian attack.
The exhibit is to stay in Kyiv for the next two months 鈥� by then, Ukraine will inch closer to what will likely be another winter of war.
The government has warned residents to brace for their toughest winter yet since Russia's full-scale invasion began in February 2022 as intensify.
Russia continues to hammer Ukraine鈥檚 energy generation capacity, leaving the country heavily reliant on its three functioning nuclear power stations and electricity imports from European Union countries.
According to Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko, there have been over 1,000 attacks targeting the country鈥檚 power grid.
鈥淭here is no place, no region, no type of energy infrastructure that has not been affected by these attacks,鈥� he said in a statement.
Ukrainians, meanwhile, have to cope with . The shortages have exacerbated war fatigue as there appears no end of the conflict in sight.
Dmytro Tiuzin, a 37-year-old IT specialist who lives near Kontraktova Square, said he came to see the transformer in person on Thursday after seeing images of the installation on social media.
鈥淚 am worrying about it," he said of the destruction of Ukraine's power system. "I work remotely and I am very dependent on the electricity and internet.鈥�
In the months between March and August, Russia launched nine coordinated attacks against electricity infrastructure in Ukraine, destroying approximately 9 gigawatts of electricity generation capacity, according to a U.N. report on Thursday.
The amount represents half of Ukraine鈥檚 energy needs during the winter months, the report by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission said.
鈥淭his winter will be bad enough with people likely having to cope with scheduled blackouts across the country,鈥� said Danielle Bell, head of the mission. 鈥淎ny additional attacks leading to prolonged electricity blackouts could have catastrophic consequences.鈥�
Rebuilding the damage caused may take years. The Kyiv School of Economics in an assessment published in May estimated that restoring the energy sector will require $50 billion.
鈥淭his project is not meant to ... make people feel depressed about how bad things are,鈥� said Katya Taylor from the Port of Culture, an NGO that curated the exhibition.
鈥淏ut rather, just to thank those people who are there for us," she added.
Serhii, a worker from the power plant where the transformer was brought from, said he had spent 32 years of his life working there. The name of the power plant and Serhii鈥檚 family name could not be disclosed under government regulations due to security concerns.
鈥淪ometimes tears come to my eyes, seeing this,鈥� he said.
The destruction he witnessed also makes him angry and determined not give up, 鈥渘o matter what.鈥�
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Hanna Arhirova, The Associated Press
