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Oct. 20 (UPI) -- Rolling blackouts began in Ukraine on Thursday morning as officials attempt to conserve energy amid Russia's continued attacks on its critical civilian infrastructure. Ukrainian electric utility Ukrenergo said that rolling blackouts will occur between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Thursday with local distribution networks to determine when regions will be disconnected.
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"The enemy's constant missile attacks are destroying our energy infrastructure, and energy workers need time to restore it. At the same time, it is getting colder outside, which traditionally encourages us to consume more electricity. But we need to be very conscious and frugal with our electricity consumption in order to get through the next winter as well as possible," the utility said in a statement published Thursday to Telegram.
Ahead of Thursday, Ukrenergo had warned Ukrainians to ensure that their phones, power banks, flashlights and batteries were charged, and that they had water, warm socks and blankets at the ready.
On Wednesday, Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko appealed to residents via Telegram to reduce their electricity consumption as much as possible during peak hours.
He called on residents to not use microwave ovens, electric kettles, air conditioners or heaters and for entrepreneurs and owners of shops, cafes and restaurants to reduce the lighting of signs and screens.
"Even a small savings and reducing of electricity consumption in each residence will help to stabilize the operation of the national energy system," he said.
On Thursday, Klitschko announced that 21 of 38 electric trollies in the city would be replaced with buses as part of the conservation effort.
Ukraine has adopted the measures as its energy infrastructure has been decimated in recent attacks by Russia, which has been targeting civilian infrastructure.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Tuesday that as of Oct. 10, more than 30% of Ukraine's power stations have been destroyed.
On Wednesday night, he said three more facilities were gone.
"Of course, we will do everything possible to restore the normal energy capabilities of our country. But it takes time. And this requires our joint efforts. Tomorrow, they are needed more than before," he said in his nightly address. "Tomorrow, it is very important that the consumption is as conscious as possible."
Zelensky said he had strategy security meetings with energy companies on Wednesday in which they discussed steps to mitigate consequences of the breakdown of the energy system.
"We are working to create mobile power points for critical infrastructure of cities, towns and villages," he said in a statement about the discussions.
Russian's recent barrage of attacks on civilian infrastructure has attracted the condemnation of leaders of democratic countries, including from Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, the EU's executive branch.
On Wednesday, she called the attacks on civilian infrastructure "war crimes."
"Targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure with the clear aim to cut off men, women, children from water, electricity and heating with the winter coming -- these are acts of pure terror," she told lawmakers in a speech. "And we have to call it as such."
Early Thursday, the Ukrainian government attempted to use the issue of rolling blackouts as a call for unity, stating they will live without electricity in order to expel the Russians from thier borders.
"This is why Ukraine will win this war," Zelensky tweeted. "I thank all fellow Ukrainians for saving power at their homes today."
