Ukraine’s energy system is under extreme strain after Russian strikes, with Ukraine meeting only about 60% of its electricity needs and Kyiv among the hardest-hit areas. Officials say the situation has triggered emergency steps as temperatures drop and residents face prolonged losses of heat and power.
Ukraine’s Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal told parliament the country has fuel reserves for more than 20 days, while describing the overall energy situation as “very difficult” after drone and missile attacks on power infrastructure. Shmyhal also said there is not a single power facility in Ukraine that has not been targeted.
Fuel reserves and emergency steps
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a state of emergency in the energy sector as the cold intensified and power supplies were disrupted. Zelenskyy said repair teams, energy companies, municipal services and Ukraine’s Emergency Service are working around the clock to restore electricity and heating.
Shmyhal ordered emergency imports of electricity, according to Reuters. Zelenskyy also said efforts were under way to increase electricity imports to ease the critical situation.
Ukraine needs to install 2.2–2.7 gigawatts of electricity generation capacity by the end of 2026 to meet its consumption needs, Shmyhal told parliament. Separately, Euromaidan Press reported Shmyhal said daily strikes have been knocking out “thousands of megawatts” of generation capacity.
Kyiv’s heating crisis deepens
Kyiv has faced some of the most severe heating and electricity shortages of the war after a series of drone and missile attacks, according to The New York Times. The New York Times reported that Russian forces struck transformer substations in and around Kyiv and attacked all three of the city’s natural gas and coal-fired power plants, shutting down internal heat and electricity sources.
City authorities in Kyiv said 471 apartment buildings were still without heat nearly a week after a major Russian strike, Al Jazeera reported. Deutsche Welle reported that Russian strikes crippled Kyiv’s heating and power systems, leaving hundreds of thousands in the cold as repair crews work nonstop.
The New York Times said officials prioritized limited power for essential services such as water pumps and the subway, leaving most residential buildings without electricity. It also reported that authorities redirected hot water from gas-powered boiler systems, but that this provided less warmth than normal district heating.
Scale of attacks on energy
Euromaidan Press reported that Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal told Ukraine’s parliament that not a single Ukrainian power plant has escaped Russian strikes during the full-scale war. The same report said Shmyhal cited 612 targeted combined attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in 2025 alone, using ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and drones.
Save the Children cited ACLED data showing 511 attacks targeting energy infrastructure in the last quarter of 2025, compared with 294 from July to September. Save the Children also said 36 incidents damaging energy infrastructure were recorded in the first 10 days of 2026.
Deutsche Welle reported that since October there have been more than 250 attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure and that more are expected. Reuters quoted Shmyhal as saying winter preparations failed in some cities and regions, and that he saw many processes “stalling” during his first days in office.
Children, schools, and daily life
Severe cold with temperatures falling as low as –20°C has forced many schools across Ukraine to shut this year, Save the Children said. Save the Children said power and heating interruptions delayed children returning to studies after the Christmas break.
UNICEF’s Ukraine representative, Munir Mammadzade, said intensified attacks on energy and water infrastructure have left families without heating, electricity and basic services, pushing them into “constant survival mode.” He said millions of families were again enduring days without heating, electricity or water as sub-zero temperatures gripped the country.
UNICEF said education has been further disrupted as schools move online amid power outages that leave children without connectivity. UNICEF said it is assisting 1.65 million people, including 470,000 children, through its winter response by providing support such as generators, cash assistance and help for schools.
Air defense and drone interceptors
Forbes reported that Ukrainian officials have described a growing pace of attacks, with Shmyhal telling lawmakers that the frequency is escalating and attacks are occurring daily. Forbes also reported that the number of attack drones increased from about 2,000 per month in December 2024 to more than 5,000 in December 2025, averaging more than 150 nightly.
Forbes said the interception rate has hovered around 80% but air defenses are being depleted rapidly, and that small interceptor drones are being used as a promising approach. Forbes reported that a small interceptor can cost about $3,000 to $5,000 and can take down a Shahed-type drone from around 20 kilometers away.
Forbes also reported that Zelenskyy said interceptor drones accounted for 64 out of 89 drones downed the previous day in one recent update. Forbes reported that the Wild Hornets group claimed its interceptors have destroyed more than 3,000 Shaheds.
