Ukrainian private energy infrastructure holding company DTEK released a call for peace directly to their counterparts in Russia.
“Power Engineers of Russia. Ukrainian power engineers are petitioning you. For many, our acquaintance goes beyond ordinary professional solidarity,” according to a press release posted to DTEK’s website. “We studied together, worked together. We were friends. We congratulated each other on professional holidays and always wished happiness, health, and peace. Peace! But it's been a week since peaceful times ended for us.”
The release ran March 3, the same day DTEK said it learned of the deaths of three of its employees and the injury of three others. Two died in combat, serving in the armed forces. Another died due to hostilities.
“We are dying at our working places, in our manufactories, at our homes. Every day. Not only for ourselves, but also for you. Because this monstrous darkness turned out to be common for us,” according to the release.
“Every hour we go out into the fields and raise the footings, extinguish fire in transformers and re-energize the cities and towns. And all this under the rumble of cannonades, the whistle of rocket artillery and the roar of air strikes,” according to the release.
In another release, DTEK stated it is continuing to evacuate employees from the most dangerous areas. In particular, they are trying to organize the evacuation of employees and their families from Mariupol and Kharkiv. However, they are limited in what they can do because of constant shelling, the release states.
“We are power engineers! We chose to provide people with heat and electricity to be our life credo. Our work is the basis of the economy and well-being. We are confident that you are able to stop your government, which unleashed this criminal war,”
The release also mentions a substation destroyed by shelling that DTEK employees repaired to bring power back to dozens of cities and towns.
“We are not complaining complain. Not at all. It's not in our nature, you know. Today we turn to you, to the same people and professionals,” according to the release. “We stand firm in spirit and faith that we will win… Our victory will give you a chance to gain freedom and return to the civilized world.”
DTEK is the largest private holding company in Ukraine’s energy sector. The company employs 60,000 people and distributed 47.3 TWh of electricity in 2020, according to its website.
