German Foreign Minister Analena Burbock announced an additional 200 million euros in aid to support Ukrainians going through the third winter of war amid ongoing Russian attacks on infrastructure, she said during a visit to Kiev.

The money will be used so that homes near the front line, without energy supplies, can also receive fuel and “Ukrainians can be provided with essential items such as blankets or warm winter coats to protect them from the low temperatures,” said the German foreign minister during her meeting with her Ukrainian counterpart Andrii Sibykha.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is now seeking military help from North Korea and is redoubling his efforts in eastern Ukraine, Burbok said.

It has been deliberately targeting vital infrastructure across the country, bombing power stations and destroying power lines in what it described as an insidious strategy, with nearly two-thirds of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure destroyed, leaving people without electricity and heating .

The additional humanitarian aid is not support for the energy sector, but is intended for emergency winter relief measures for the population, such as solid fuel for houses near the front line, insulation, winter clothing, blankets and cash assistance.

With this last amount, German aid to Ukraine for humanitarian purposes – such as mine clearance – amounts to 390 million euros.

Burbok was briefed during her visit to Ukraine on the development of German-supplied Gepard anti-aircraft tanks.

Ukrainian soldiers said they shot down three Russian drones in the greater Kiev area on Friday. They also asked Burbok for more support in the form of materials and ammunition. So far, Germany has supplied Ukraine with 55 Gepard anti-aircraft tanks, including spare parts, and 176,000 pieces of anti-aircraft ammunition from Bundeswehr and industrial stocks.

Gepard tanks are considered particularly effective in repelling drone attacks.

The foreign minister then took a tour of a power plant near Kiev, which had been hit several times by Russian missiles and is still generating electricity.

Burbok arrived in Ukraine early this morning, making her eighth solidarity visit since Russia’s war of aggression began in February 2022. The visit was unannounced for security reasons.