 "A worker warms himself near a wood stove as he fixes a thermal power plant damaged by a Russian missile strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, November 28, 2024. File Image/Reuters")
As winter tightens its grip on Ukraine, Russia has intensified its strategy of targeting the nation’s critical infrastructure.
By systematically dismantling Ukraine’s energy grid, Moscow is using the harsh winter as a weapon to break the country’s resilience and attempt to force political concessions, and prolong the conflict.
Russia has launched some of its most extensive attacks on Ukraine’s energy systems in recent weeks. On Thursday, over 91 missiles and 97 drones were unleashed across nine regions, targeting power facilities, fuel depots, and civilian infrastructure.
Ukraine’s air force confirmed that while 79 missiles and 35 drones were intercepted, 12 missiles managed to hit key targets, resulting in widespread blackouts.
Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed the attacks were in retaliation for Ukraine’s use of US-supplied ATACMS missiles against Russian territory. He warned of further strikes on Kyiv’s “decision-making centers” if Ukraine continued to escalate.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the attacks as a “despicable escalation,” accusing Russia of deploying cruise missiles equipped with cluster munitions.
He has engaged Western allies, including Nato Secretary-General Mark Rutte, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, to forge a coordinated response. “Now is the time to strengthen our positions—both Ukraine’s and our partners’,” Zelenskyy said during a nightly address.
Over one million Ukrainians were left without power in the immediate aftermath, with rolling blackouts intensified for millions more. Entire regions, including Lviv, Volyn, and Rivne, saw half a million residents each plunged into darkness.
Ukraine’s state grid operator, Ukrenergo, announced emergency measures, warning some areas would face outages lasting 12 hours or more.
How is winter in war-torn Ukraine?
Winter in Ukraine, with temperatures often plunging to under -20 degrees Celsius, poses a grave challenge for a population already battered by war.
The destruction of nearly half the nation’s power generation capacity since the conflict began has left millions vulnerable to extreme cold . Rolling blackouts disrupt heating and water supplies, creating a life-threatening situation for many.
The elderly are particularly at risk, especially in frontline regions like Kherson, Sumy, and Kharkiv. Many elderly residents are confined to their homes, unable to seek warmth or aid. Communication outages further exacerbate the crisis, leaving families uncertain about the welfare of their loved ones.
Humanitarian groups estimate that 3.4 million people in Ukraine are internally displaced, many living in collective shelters ill-equipped for the brutal winter. “If the energy system collapses, it will be disastrous,” Ukrainian analyst Alexey Kovzhun told The Media Line.
“The sound of generators has become the sound of war.”
How is Ukraine keeping it’s lights on?
Ukraine’s energy engineers, working under relentless pressure, are engaged in a near-impossible task of repairing damaged infrastructure faster than it is destroyed. At one unidentified power station, engineers laboured in freezing conditions, warming their hands over makeshift fires and covering machinery with plastic sheets to protect against snow and rain.
“The conditions are tough,” said Oleksandr, one of the engineers, told BBC. “We don’t even have time to restore the main equipment, let alone the roof and walls. Everything gets destroyed again from one strike to the next.”
The toll on Ukraine’s energy system is staggering. Since March, Russia has conducted at least 11 major attacks, forcing power plants offline and severely damaging distribution networks.
Before the November strikes, Ukraine had already lost 9GW of generation capacity — roughly half of what is needed to meet peak winter demand.
In Kyiv’s 25-story Pozniaky neighborhood, residents pooled resources to install a basement generator capable of powering a single elevator and providing hot water. Across the country, small businesses, schools, and hospitals have turned to diesel generators to maintain essential services.
However, this reliance on backup systems comes at a cost. Diesel fumes have worsened urban air quality, and the noise of generators has become an oppressive constant.
What is Russia’s intent?
Russia’s focus on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure is more than tactical; it is deeply strategic. By depriving millions of heat, light, and water, Moscow aims to erode civilian morale and weaken military capacity. Military analyst David Sharp called the recent wave of strikes one of the most complex operations to date.
“The attack was one of the most combined we’ve seen,” Sharp told The Media Line, citing the use of Shahed-136 and Shahed-131 drones, KH-101 cruise missiles, and Kinzhal hypersonic missiles. He added that decoy drones with nonexplosive warheads were likely deployed to distract Ukrainian defences.
Ukraine’s air force reported that Russia is increasingly using radar and thermal decoys and employing electronic warfare to bypass Soviet-era defence systems. While Western-provided systems are more effective, Ukraine does not yet have enough to protect all critical infrastructure.
“Putin does not want peace. We must force him into peace through strength,” stated Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, reiterating Kyiv’s need for advanced weaponry from its allies.
How are Ukraine’s allies helping Kyiv?
Ukraine’s Western allies have stepped up efforts to mitigate the damage. The European Commission and the US government have provided $113 million to DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, to repair damaged facilities and protect them from the elements.
US President Joe Biden condemned the Russian strikes as “outrageous,” calling for greater support to Ukraine. Nato and European leaders echoed his sentiments, pledging additional military and humanitarian aid.
Despite this assistance, challenges persist. Over 14 million Ukrainians still require urgent humanitarian aid, with conditions expected to worsen as winter progresses.
The International Rescue Committee highlighted the dire situation in eastern Ukraine, where solid fuel shortages and skyrocketing prices have left families unable to heat their homes.
As Ukraine faces its third winter since the full-scale invasion, the resilience of its people remains steadfast. Yet, the stakes have never been higher.
With inputs from agencies