Ukrainian citizens are confronting life-threatening sub-zero temperatures without power or heating, following another wave of deliberate Russian strikes on the nation's critical energy infrastructure.
State of Emergency as Repair Crews Battle the Cold
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Wednesday that he would declare a state of emergency in the energy sector, as officials confirmed emergency teams were working non-stop to restore electricity in the badly-hit Kyiv region. The area is among the worst affected by the widespread blackouts.
"The consequences of Russian strikes and deteriorating weather conditions are severe," Zelenskyy posted on social media platform X. He stated he had attended a crisis meeting focusing on the emergency, with particular attention on the capital.
Repair crews from energy companies, municipal services, and the State Emergency Service of Ukraine are operating around the clock to reconnect electricity and heating supplies. The President thanked all involved for working at full capacity, but stressed that many issues required urgent resolution.
Daily Struggle for Survival in Freezing Homes
In Boryspil, a town within the Kyiv region, workers have been braving temperatures of -15C from early morning until midnight to repair burned-out electrical systems, according to Yurii Bryzh, who leads the local department of private energy provider DTEK. Their efforts have so far managed to restore supply for only about four hours each day.
However, Bryzh explained a recurring problem: "When the power comes back on, people turn on all the electrical equipment that is available in the house" to quickly wash, cook, or recharge devices. This sudden surge in demand frequently crashes the fragile system again.
For residents, the reality is brutally cold. Kyiv couple Mykhailo, 39, and Hanna, 43, reported the temperature in their five-year-old daughter's room had plunged to -15C, forcing the family to huddle together in one bed under heavy blankets at night.
Seventy-six-year-old Zinaida Hlyha heats water on her gas stove to fill bottles, which she then tucks into her bed for warmth. She refrains from complaining, noting that Ukrainian soldiers on the vast front line have it far worse. "This is war," she said.
Wider Humanitarian and Political Fallout
The crisis has stretched public services to their limits. Anton Gerashchenko, a former adviser to Ukraine's internal affairs minister, reported that Kyiv hospitals are now reliant on autonomous boiler houses to keep patients warm and prevent a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe.
Kyiv's mayor, Vitali Klitschko, provided a small glimmer of progress on Telegram, noting that heating had been restored to all but approximately 400 of the 6,000 affected apartment buildings. Support centres are operating 24 hours a day to assist those in need.
Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has accused Russia of orchestrating a "deliberate Russian campaign against civilian life." In a statement on X, the ministry condemned Moscow for continuing to strike energy infrastructure, "choosing the coldest days, when electricity and heat mean survival. This is cynical, life-denying terror."
The dire situation unfolds against a backdrop of continued international tension. Russia has criticised a reported UK plan to rapidly develop and supply new long-range ground-launched missiles to Ukraine, capable of carrying a 200kg warhead over 500km. European nations have rallied support for Kyiv following comments from former US President Donald Trump regarding peace negotiations.
