Scorching heat compounds Ukraine's power crisis
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STORY: By torchlight Ukrainian mother Margaryta Zakharchuk carries her child up to her 12th floor apartment, the lift is out due to a blackout. She is one of millions of Ukrainians struggling amid a record heat wave, compounded by regular power cuts making air conditioning units and refrigerators useless. “The first thing that has changed is that we don’t cook much anymore. Secondly, we cannot store products in the fridge for a long time. For example, curd snacks for children spoil quickly. On the second or third day, they are not edible anymore. That’s why we only buy food that we can eat today or tomorrow.” Regular Russian air strikes have ravaged the country's energy system leading to hours-long rolling blackouts. The Central Geophysical Observatory said on Tuesday (July 16) it had clocked a record-high 93.5 degrees Fahrenheit in Kyiv for July 15. Temperatures on Tuesday were expected to reach even higher. “During the heatwave, we cannot use the air conditioner. We are trying to survive using the shower. We bathe children in the water or we try to be outside in the park if we can.” Store owners, like Viktoriia, battle increased costs from running generators and product losses. “We suffer a lot. Blackouts last for six-eight hours during the day and it is a problem for dairy and ice cream. We don’t order a lot of milk, butter because it spoils. We have to return products.” Ukraine's broader economy is also struggling in the heat. State weather forecasters say the harvest of late crops could decline by up to 30% in central, southern and eastern regions. The country's grid operator announced new emergency power shutdowns for some consumers in seven areas - but not including Kyiv - due to the heatwave following a failure of equipment. The energy ministry has urged consumers to conserve energy and minimize the use of powerful electrical appliances to preserve the grid.
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