As the mercury dips below freezing, Russia has launched a devastating wave of airstrikes targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving over one million people in the Dnipropetrovsk region without heat, water, or power.

The targeted assault on civilian lifelines in the depths of winter is being described by Kyiv as a war crime. With heavy snow forecast, the lack of heating transforms homes into freezers, threatening the lives of the elderly and vulnerable.

The Strategy of Cold

Moscow’s tactic is clear: break the will of the population by making daily life unlivable. Attacks damaged facilities in Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia, forcing hospitals to switch to backup generators.

• Infrastructure Collapse: Maxim Timchenko, CEO of energy provider DTEK, admitted the grid is in "permanent crisis mode." The sheer frequency of ballistic missile and drone attacks means repairs cannot keep pace with destruction.
• Humanitarian Crisis: Residents are urged to limit electricity use, but without heat, electric heaters are a lifeline. The strikes have created a catch-22 situation where survival drains the grid.
• Zelenskyy’s Plea: President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Russia of "mockery" and renewed calls for air defense systems. However, with global attention diverted to Venezuela and the Middle East, Ukraine faces this winter increasingly alone.

Resilience Tested

Despite the blackouts, the Ukrainian spirit holds. Engineers are working under fire to restore power. But as the fourth anniversary of the invasion approaches, the question is: how many more winters can the grid—and the people—endure?