Thousands of people across Ukraine remain without electricity as Russia resumes heavy attacks on the country’s energy system during extreme winter cold.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said more than 200 repair crews are working around the clock to restore power in Kyiv. Despite their efforts, over 1,100 apartment buildings in the capital still have no electricity.
Zelensky added that officials are supporting communities in several badly affected regions. The hardest hit areas include Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Poltava, and parts of central Ukraine such as Dnipro and Cherkasy.
Deadly Attacks in Eastern Ukraine
In the eastern town of Druzhkivka, Russian cluster bomb strikes killed seven people and injured at least fifteen others. Regional officials confirmed the casualties.
Russia renewed its attacks after a short pause that US President Donald Trump had requested. The pause came as freezing temperatures swept across Ukraine, with some areas dropping to minus 20 degrees Celsius.
Civilians Seek Shelter as Power Cuts Continue
In Kyiv, many residents spent the night in metro stations to escape the cold. Some families even set up tents on the platforms to stay warm.
City authorities opened heating centers across the capital. They also brought in extra generators to handle long power outages while engineers repair damaged infrastructure.
In Kharkiv, officials confirmed that a power plant suffered damage beyond repair. Ukraine’s Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said the national energy system needs time to recover. He also confirmed severe damage to Kyiv’s Darnytsia combined heat and power plant.
Families Face Growing Hardships
Iryna Vovk, a psychologist living in Kyiv, said daily life has become extremely difficult. Her husband is fighting on the front line, and she lives alone with her daughter.
She told BBC Radio 4 that she is thinking about moving to her parents’ village. Power and water shortages make life in the capital unbearable.
Her daughter tries to stay positive, but school has become a challenge. Online lessons often stop because of electricity cuts.
Global Reactions and Peace Talks Continue
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer strongly condemned the attacks. He called them barbaric and especially cruel, given the freezing weather.
Starmer made the remarks after speaking with Trump. The US president said Vladimir Putin had respected the agreed one week pause.
Trump added that even a short pause mattered during such extreme cold. However, Russia has rejected calls for a full ceasefire.
Meanwhile, officials from the US, Ukraine, and Russia have met again in Abu Dhabi to discuss a possible peace plan. Despite the talks, there are no clear signs of a breakthrough.
Russia launched its full scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, and the conflict continues to cause widespread suffering.
