Main events on November 23: stoppage of ATMs, possibility not to pay loans and extension of winter vacation

The situation at Ukrainian thermal power plants remains critical after merciless attacks by Russia, which caused severe damage and significantly reduced their ability to produce electricity. The energy expert emphasizes that it should not be assumed that they have lost up to 90% of their potential. “Some objects were damaged from 30% to 70%, but there are some that remain in working condition,” he said. Thermal power plants are large infrastructure systems, so it is technically impossible to eradicate them, but electricity production has dropped significantly due to the damage they have caused.

Prepare for possible blackouts: experts advise keeping a cash reserve. The reason is the possibility of long-term power outages, which may disrupt the operation of cashless payment terminals and ATMs. Official sources recommend keeping money on hand for 7-14 days, as emergency withdrawals can be complicated due to queues and restrictions on the use of payment cards.

In Ukraine, the issue of loans during martial law remains ambiguous. Many people believe that loans are “frozen” or that banks should write off all debts. However, the status of debts does not change; only late-payment fines can be canceled, subject to confirmation by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The lawyer explains that although the war is recognized as a force majeure, this does not release the borrowers from their obligations under the loans.

Since the beginning of the academic year, some Ukrainian schools have already planning to extend the winter vacation to compensate for the canceled autumn weekend. The Ministry of Education allows educational institutions to determine their own terms of study, so students will go on winter vacation at the end of December and return to classes in mid-January. The 2025-2026 school year will begin on September 1, 2025, and run through June 30, 2026.

Recently, attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have increased, leading to critical problems with the electricity supply. Hourly outages have been implemented in the power system. According to the head of “Ukrenergo”, severe difficulties with energy supply are observed in the border and frontline regions, particularly in Odesa, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Zaporizhzhia.