KYIV-(MaraviPost)-Millions of Ukrainians are facing prolonged electricity blackouts, disrupted water supplies and worsening living conditions as intensified Russian attacks on critical energy infrastructure threaten the country’s ability to maintain essential services ahead of winter.
According to BBC, Russian strikes have damaged major power stations, electricity transmission networks and substations, forcing authorities to introduce extensive power rationing across the country, with some households in Kyiv experiencing electricity outages lasting up to 20 hours a day.
The deteriorating situation has turned ordinary household activities such as preparing meals, helping children with homework, accessing water and heating homes into daily struggles for millions of residents.
Among those affected is Daryna Kulchytska, a single mother living with her two children in a seventh-floor apartment in Kyiv, who must organise her family’s daily routine around unpredictable electricity schedules.
Kulchytska said electricity sometimes becomes available for only a few hours before disappearing for extended periods.
“The last few days it was only four or five hours we had power, but it’s not at the same times. For two hours we have electricity, then for eight hours we don’t,” she said.
The blackouts have also disrupted water supplies because electricity is required to operate pumping systems that deliver water to residential buildings.
On one evening, Kulchytska and her children were forced to abandon their normal routine after electricity disappeared shortly before 7:30pm.
With the apartment lift no longer functioning and water pumps unable to supply their seventh-floor residence, the family resorted to torches and LED candles before gathering for a game of Uno.
Her 12-year-old son, Kyryll, described the experience as frustrating, saying prolonged electricity interruptions had taken away much of the enjoyment of everyday family life.
“There’s no light, no water, no heat, no electricity. And no fun. All the fun got sucked out with the electricity,” he said.
Kulchytska said entire neighbourhoods sometimes disappear into darkness, leaving residents struggling to navigate their surroundings after sunset.
“You look outside and sometimes you see nothing. You have a big city around but you see nothing because there’s no light,” she said.
Kyiv has experienced some of the most severe disruptions, with metro trains and trolleybus services occasionally brought to a standstill by electricity shortages.
Across Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of people have experienced power interruptions in recent weeks as Russian forces intensify attacks against electricity generation facilities, substations and transmission infrastructure.
The scale of the destruction became evident during a visit to one of Ukraine’s major power stations, whose identity was withheld for security reasons, following a devastating ballistic missile strike.
The facility has suffered extensive destruction, with turbines buried beneath rubble and large sections of its equipment reduced to twisted metal and broken pipes.
The attack effectively knocked the power station offline, dealing another major blow to Ukraine’s already strained electricity supply system.
Volodymyr Kovalenko, an employee who has worked at the facility for 25 years, was on duty in the control room when the missiles struck at approximately 3am.
He described the bombardment as unprecedented in its intensity.
“It was a very powerful attack. We’d never experienced anything like it. We’d had strikes before – part of the roof had collapsed, it was pretty grim. But this time it was particularly severe,” Kovalenko said.
Despite the destruction, engineers remain determined to restore the facility, although their efforts face repeated interruptions because of air raid warnings and the continuing threat of drone and missile attacks.
Vadym Bobyr, who is coordinating the recovery operation, said the security situation was making it difficult for engineers to concentrate on restoration work.
“It’s very difficult. You’ve mentally prepared yourself to do a particular job, and then… the air raid siren goes off, and you have to get out as quickly as possible,” Bobyr said.
He said the destruction was particularly painful because engineers had previously repaired the facility and restored its operations before another attack devastated the site.
“It’s emotionally difficult, because we’ve already repaired all this, got it running again, and now it’s happened all over again. It hurts, but we keep working and getting things done,” he said.
The danger facing energy workers has continued to increase as Russian attacks target electricity infrastructure almost daily.
Since August, repeated strikes have killed several energy workers and made repair operations increasingly hazardous.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has maintained that the country still has sufficient electricity generation capacity to meet national demand.
However, he said the major challenge lies in transmitting electricity to homes and businesses because repeated attacks have damaged power lines, substations and other critical distribution infrastructure.
Russia has also reportedly deployed specialised drones capable of attaching themselves to electricity pylons and cables before being detonated, further complicating efforts to protect the country’s energy network.
Meanwhile, Maxim Timchenko, Chief Executive Officer of DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, said the intensity and sophistication of Russian attacks had significantly increased compared with previous years.
“What is different is the scale of attacks and the different types of weapons used in these attacks. This is what is the difference – they’ve doubled in power and in scale,” Timchenko said.
He estimated that rebuilding the destroyed power station could take until at least next summer because workers are struggling to complete restoration assignments under constant security threats.
According to Timchenko, engineers sometimes manage only one or two productive working hours per day because of repeated air raid warnings.
“We are fighting for survival of not only the whole country but ordinary people, especially during winter,” he said.
For Kovalenko, keeping electricity flowing is more than an employment responsibility, describing energy infrastructure as fundamental to the survival and functioning of the country.
“Energy is the foundation of everything – people’s lives, the state. Nothing can function without it. I’ve dedicated my entire life to this,” he said.
As the electricity crisis deepens, thousands of Ukrainians are considering leaving Kyiv or relocating abroad in search of safer and warmer living conditions.
Kulchytska is among those struggling with the decision, torn between remaining close to relatives and friends and finding a place where her children can live without constant blackouts and the threat of attacks.
She said the prolonged uncertainty was affecting her mental well-being and expressed concern about the psychological impact on her children, particularly her daughter Olena, who has been experiencing nightmares.
Despite the difficulties, she insists that Ukrainians remain determined to resist Russian aggression.
“I don’t want to live without light. But actually people in Ukraine say, OK, without light, but without Russians. Yes, we’re scared, we’re scared a lot. But better for us to be without power, but without Russians,” Kulchytska said.
The worsening electricity crisis is unfolding as diplomatic efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine war continue, with United States envoys expected to engage Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in further discussions.
However, the continuing attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure highlight the humanitarian consequences of the conflict and the enormous challenges facing the country as winter approaches.
For millions of Ukrainians, the immediate concern is whether their homes will remain warm, water supplies will continue flowing and essential services will survive another wave of attacks.
Leave a Reply