Ukraine has declared an emergency in its energy sector as extreme cold weather continues and Russian attacks keep disrupting power supply, leaving large numbers of people in the dark, especially in Kyiv.
The move comes amid freezing temperatures and ongoing strikes that have damaged key infrastructure, worsening daily life for residents already facing harsh winter conditions.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was deliberately using the severe cold as part of its war approach, accusing Moscow of taking advantage of winter to deepen suffering. Overnight temperatures in Kyiv have recently dropped to around -20C, making the loss of heating, power and water even more dangerous for households.
The declaration also comes at a time when comments from United States President Donald Trump have drawn attention to stalled efforts to end the war. Speaking to the Reuters news agency on Wednesday, Trump said Ukraine “is less ready to make a deal” than Russian president Vladimir Putin. When asked why peace talks had not yet brought the conflict to an end, Trump replied: “Zelensky”.
Those remarks were welcomed in Moscow. On Thursday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters: “President Putin and the Russian side remain open [to talks].”
Trump and Zelensky are both expected to attend the World Economic Forum in Switzerland next week, although Trump indicated that there were no confirmed plans for a meeting between the two leaders.
In Kyiv, repeated Russian attacks in recent weeks have left thousands of homes without steady electricity, heating and running water. After a particularly intense night of missile and drone strikes last week, around 70 percent of the capital lost power for several hours, adding pressure on already stretched services.
Following a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Zelensky announced the creation of a round-the-clock task force to deal with damage caused by Russian strikes and worsening weather. He said the team would work continuously to restore essential services and respond quickly to new disruptions.
Zelensky added that the emergency steps would include securing vital energy equipment and supplies from abroad to replace facilities that have been damaged or destroyed. In a post on X, he said: “The First Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Energy of Ukraine has been assigned to oversee work supporting people and communities under these conditions.”
He also directed authorities to increase the number of emergency support points across Kyiv to provide heat and electricity for residents. The move could also lead to a possible easing of the current midnight curfew in the capital to allow better access to help.
Russian attacks on energy facilities have affected areas beyond Kyiv. Last week, Ukrainian officials said more than one million people in south-eastern parts of the country spent several hours without heating and water after air strikes damaged supply systems.
Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, has also described the situation as extremely difficult. Its chief executive, Maxim Timchenko, told the BBC last month that the company was operating in constant crisis mode due to repeated strikes on the power grid.
As the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion draws closer, Timchenko said Russian forces had repeatedly targeted DTEK’s facilities using “waves of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles.” He said the pace and scale of the attacks had made recovery increasingly hard, adding: “we just don't have time to recover”.
DTEK currently supplies electricity to about 5.6 million people across Ukraine, many of whom remain vulnerable as winter conditions continue.
