Winter is coming

Membership Growth Manager

Yana Zhuryk

A general view of buildings and streets unlit before dawn during an overnight power outage following a Russian attack on energy infrastructure in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Oct. 9, 2026. (Kostiantyn Liberov / Libkos / Getty Images)

Dear Kyiv Independent readers,

The clocks went back an hour last weekend in Ukraine. For most people, that means an extra hour of sleep. Here in Ukraine, it feels more like a reminder of what's ahead: shorter days, colder nights, and the expectation of spending much of both without electricity or heating. People are stocking up on batteries, charging their power banks, and checking blackout schedules. The familiar hum of generators is back on the streets as well.

Since 2022, Russia has weaponized winter by attacking Ukraine’s energy grid — a tactic that constitutes a war crime, according to a U.N. report published this week. As a consequence, Ukrainians have been forced to endure freezing apartments, plan their days around a few hours of electricity, and live with the uncertainty of whether they'll have running water tomorrow.

But this winter could be even harder.

Russia continues to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure, while uncertainty over U.S. support raises questions about Ukraine's ability to defend itself.

At the Kyiv Independent, we're preparing for this winter too. Not just by charging our equipment and preparing for blackouts, but by making sure we can continue reporting on what happens here, no matter how difficult it gets.

Because when Russia tries to plunge Ukraine into darkness, the world needs to see what's happening here.

That's why we're asking you to consider supporting our work by becoming a member. As a reader-funded publication, we depend on people like you to keep our reporting independent, accessible, and coming directly from Ukraine.

Support our journalism

To give you a clearer picture of what we're expecting this winter, we asked some of our journalists what they're most concerned about. Here's what they told us.

Air defense — Jimmy Rushton, Special Correspondent

One of the biggest problems facing Ukrainian air defense this winter is Russia's increasing numbers of jet-powered drones. These new jets fly at speeds of up to 600 km/h and are significantly harder to shoot down. Ukraine is rushing the development of a new generation of interceptor drones, which are beginning to show some promise, and interception rates are steadily climbing.

Another significant problem will be the lack of Patriot PAC-3 interceptors, the only defense against ballistic missiles. The U.S. Defense Department has been holding up deliveries of these vital missiles to Ukraine, almost certainly to prevent Ukraine from targeting Russian oil refineries with deep-strike drones.

The front line — Francis Farrell, Senior Reporter

Winter is usually a time when advancing gets harder for Russia. But this winter campaign will not be without its challenges for the Ukrainian side. In Donetsk Oblast, Russian forces are throwing everything they can at overwhelming the city of Dobropillia, the loss of which could compromise the defense of Donbas for Ukraine. Russia is also expected to move forward with a "peripheral mobilization" of hundreds of thousands more troops, which would give Moscow a lot more attacking options, including the possible opening of a major new front somewhere on Ukraine's northern border.

Meanwhile, we do not yet know for sure whether restricting Starlink for the Ukrainian military could become a regular occurrence. If the Trump administration wanted to further pressure Kyiv, further restrictions on Starlink could be devastating to the war effort.

Energy and business — Dominic Culverwell, Business Reporter

Regarding the energy crisis, we can expect a situation similar to last year's. Russia is continuing to target all kinds of energy facilities, and is hunting energy workers in the front line region. Meanwhile, Ukraine still lacks the air defenses needed to protect power plants, and authorities have been unable to fully prepare backup generation due to a lack of funding, a shortage of energy specialists, and political infighting in Kyiv.

As a result, Ukrainians will once again face power and heating cuts, and even a possible water crisis. Some residents are prepared, and city authorities in Kyiv have set aside emergency shelters, but many will likely leave the capital. A capital with fewer workers and consumers is likely to impact Kyiv's economy and productivity.

Employees repair sections of the Darnytska combined heat and power plant damaged by Russian air strikes in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Feb. 4, 2026. (Roman Pilipey / AFP via Getty Images)

Daily life — Yevgeniya Doluda, Reporter

Ukrainian schools have been suffering since the very first day of the school year, but with constant power outages, Ukrainian education faces another challenge. Schools may become unsuitable for studying due to severely low temperatures. Also, with no electricity — and therefore no Wi-Fi — online classes is not much of a solution. Students will miss out on crucial learning material as Russia not only destroys energy infrastructure, but also children's futures.

The hum of generators has already filled most streets in Kyiv, and residents await the next sign of crisis: tents that serve as so-called “points of resilience.” Last winter, 1,395 such points helped civilians charge their gadgets and escape the unbearable cold at homes without heating. People are stocking up on flashlights, portable chargers, batteries, and even water in preparation for another dark, cold winter amid Russia’s relentless attacks.

However, many locals did not anticipate the lack of preparation from their city administration. On Oct. 17, hundreds gathered in front of the city council to express their discontent. While many demanded that Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko step down from the post he has been holding for over a decade, others simply wanted answers. Although Klitschko's removal is highly unlikely, the protest did show Kyiv authorities that they are not doing enough.

We wish we could tell you that this winter will be easier. That we won't have to worry about heating, electricity, or the next Russian attack. But we can't.

What we can tell you is that our team will be here, reporting through it all.

Our journalists will continue to go to the front line, report on Russia's attacks, speak with the people affected, and tell the stories the world needs to hear. Even if we're writing those stories in cold offices, charging our laptops from power banks, or working between air raid alerts.

And we'll continue making our journalism available to everyone, without a paywall.

But to do that, we need people who believe this reporting matters.

If you've been reading the Kyiv Independent but haven't become a member yet, please consider joining us today.

For as little as $5 a month, you can help our team keep reporting from Ukraine, whatever this winter brings.

Become our member

Thank you for reading us, caring about Ukraine, and staying with us through yet another difficult period.

With love from Kyiv,

Yana Zhuryk

The Kyiv Independent

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