Agency Develops Engineering Protection for Water Supply Systems Capable of Withstanding Drone Strikes
The Ukrainian Infrastructure Restoration Agency has developed innovative engineering protection for water supply systems that can withstand drone strikes, responding to warnings from President Volodymyr Zelensky about potential attacks on the country's water infrastructure.
The Infrastructure Restoration Agency of Ukraine has unveiled a groundbreaking engineering protection system designed for water supply networks, capable of withstanding drone strikes. This initiative was launched in light of President Volodymyr Zelensky's warnings regarding potential assaults by the Russian Federation on Ukraine's water supply infrastructure.
In an interview with Suspilne, the head of the Infrastructure Restoration Agency, Serhiy Sukhomlyn, revealed that the agency is currently finalizing the construction of 17 protective facilities for one of the major regional centers. He emphasized that this project will be accessible to every community across Ukraine.
"We are nearing completion of the construction of [17 facilities]. These include heating and water supply facilities. All these solutions have been formalized in a separate resolution adopted by the government. There is a catalog of these projects, and communities can utilize it to quickly implement protection measures. On average, such protection can be established within two months, and it does not cost tens of millions of hryvnias," Sukhomlyn stated, highlighting the accessibility and effectiveness of the new solutions.
According to available information, the responsibility for protecting water supply facilities typically falls on communities and the municipal enterprises that manage them. "As a former mayor of a regional center, I can say that I would be interested in taking this on myself, as municipal enterprises can accomplish this much faster. They understand that they are doing this for themselves and their people. I would be keen to undertake this work myself," Sukhomlyn noted.
Furthermore, the agency head shared that the Ministry of Community and Territorial Development has developed a project that will ensure water supply to large cities in the event of attacks on water intake stations. "In the event of strikes on water intake stations, there are already developed projects for protected pumping stations, which are being constructed on barges, allowing these pumping stations to be transported by the Dnieper or Dniester rivers to specific cities," Sukhomlyn emphasized.
He also added that the implementation of such a project could take as little as three to four months, stressing that there are already enough barges available to carry out this task. If necessary, these stations could provide water to cities such as Mykolaiv, Zaporizhzhia, or Dnipro.
It is worth noting that on April 2, President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the aggressor country, Russia, might target Ukraine's logistical infrastructure and water supply facilities. "According to documents we received from intelligence, the Russians will strike at logistics — at railways and other targets. They will also target water supply systems," the president stated, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.
Zelensky also reported that the Armed Forces, in collaboration with local authorities, are already working to enhance the protection of these critically important facilities. On March 25, he announced that Russia is preparing an operation against Ukraine's water supply systems in the coming months, further confirming the urgent need for measures to protect the infrastructure.