Ukraine Battles the Cold: The Worst Winter Yet
Ukraine Battles the Cold
“The worst winter yet”
Across Ukraine, families are battling -20°C (-4°F) temperatures as Russian strikes on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure shuts down heat and water for millions. In four winters of war, this is turning into the worst winter yet for Ukrainian civilians.
Days-long power outages are becoming a reality for communities across Ukraine and families are being forced to live without reliable heat or electricity for extended periods.
One mother told the Associated Press that the temperature in her 5-year-old daughter’s bedroom dropped to -15°C (13°F), saying, “We have to use all the blankets we have in the house.” Similar conditions are being reported in multiple regions, with residents relying on battery lights, gas stoves, and improvised heating to get through the nights.
In high-rise apartment blocks, electricity cuts mean both heating and water systems stop working. On top of battling the cold, residents Insulate Ukraine has spoken with are going days without showers, forced to take their families to local gas stations just to use the bathroom.
Energy workers are racing to restore power, often working from early morning until late at night in subzero temperatures. But repeated strikes make repairs fragile, and outages frequently return.
Ukrainian officials warn that the sustained attacks are placing enormous strain on civilians and critical services, including hospitals and schools. As winter deepens, the threat of extreme cold grows across the country.
Now is the time our work is most essential.
When winter temperatures plunge to life threatening levels and attacks leave millions across Ukraine without power and heat, our insulating windows become the difference between a livable space and a place people are forced to abandon. Between warmth and bitter winter cold.
We spend most of the year talking about this very moment, and now that it is here, we need your help to keep working across Ukraine to ensure that the civilians in the cities we serve are able to better weather this winter of darkness.
We’re restoring safety, dignity, and the basic ability to stay warm in your own home.
We welcome you to join us in our work through donation or in raising awareness about our cause.
Thank you for standing with us — and standing with Ukraine.
All the best,
The Insulate Ukraine Team
Originally Published Via Email on 15 January, 2026
