One million Ukrainians left in the freezing dark: Moscow strikes during peace talks

Twenty degrees below zero: deadly cold

The weather forecast for the coming days is clear: temperatures will drop below -10°C, with lows of -20°C in some regions. Under normal circumstances, this is already a harsh winter. But when you have no electricity, no heat, and no hot water, it’s a death sentence. The elderly, the sick, and children—they are the ones paying the highest price. They are the ones Moscow is deliberately targeting.

Because let’s not kid ourselves: these attacks have no military justification. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has made it clear: “There is absolutely no military logic in such strikes on the energy sector and infrastructure that deprive people of electricity and heat in the middle of winter.” This is a war against civilians. A war against life itself. An attempt to break Ukraine by freezing it, starving it, and plunging it into darkness.

A systematic strategy since 2022

This isn’t the first time. Since the start of the full-scale invasion in February 2022, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure every winter. It has become a macabre ritual. As soon as temperatures drop, Russian drones and missiles go on the hunt. They target power plants, transformers, and high-voltage power lines. Everything that allows Ukrainians to stay warm, to have light, to live.

And this year, the intensity has increased even further. Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, told the BBC last month that his company is operating “in permanent crisis mode” because of the Russian attacks. “The strikes have been so frequent that we simply don’t have time to recover,” he explained. Teams repair one power plant, and before it’s even back online, another one is destroyed. It’s a vicious cycle. A race against time that Ukraine cannot win on its own.

Do you want to know what angers me the most? It’s that everyone knows. Western governments know. International organizations know. The media know. Everyone knows that Russia is using winter as a weapon. That every winter, millions of Ukrainians will suffer. And yet, deliveries of air defense systems are dragging on. Promises pile up. Discussions drag on. And meanwhile, people are freezing to death in their own country.

Working Under Air Raid Alerts

The DTEK teams are the unsung heroes of this war. They work day and night, in all kinds of weather, under the constant threat of Russian drones and missiles. When an air raid siren sounds, they have to stop everything and run for cover. Then, once the danger has passed, they get back to work. Again and again. Relentlessly. Because they know that millions of people depend on them.

The company issued a statement Thursday morning: “Repair crews worked through the night to restore power after damage caused by fighting cut off the supply to critical infrastructure serving the city of Dnipro and surrounding areas.” ” But the statement adds a sentence that speaks volumes: “The pace of restoration remains constrained by air raid alerts, which force workers to suspend repairs and seek shelter.”

A System on the Brink of Collapse

Ukraine’s energy system is on its last legs. Since the start of the war, Russia has destroyed or damaged a significant portion of the country’s electricity generation capacity. Thermal power plants, hydroelectric dams, transformers—everything has been targeted. And every attack makes the situation a little more critical. A little more desperate.

DTEK supplies electricity to 5.6 million Ukrainians. That’s a huge number. And the company is on the verge of collapse. Maxim Timchenko put it bluntly: “We’re living in a state of constant crisis.” Spare parts are in short supply. The equipment is old. The technicians are exhausted. And Russia keeps striking. Again and again. As if it wanted to test how far it can go before everything collapses for good.

I think of those technicians working in the cold, under bombardment, so that people they’ll never meet can have light and heat. I think of their courage. Their determination. And I tell myself that if Ukraine is still standing after nearly four years of war, it’s thanks to people like them. Ordinary people doing extraordinary things. While politicians argue, they take action. While diplomats negotiate, they make repairs. And while Moscow destroys, they rebuild. Again and again.

The Volunteers’ Coalition Meets

On January 6, 2026, in Paris, the Volunteer Coalition met to discuss security guarantees for Ukraine. Seated around the table were representatives from the United States, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, and other allies of Kyiv. The goal was to reach an agreement that could end the war. Discussions focused on the deployment of European troops to Ukraine following a ceasefire, security guarantees, and reconstruction.

Zelensky was there. He met with Donald Trump’s special envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. He spoke with Emmanuel Macron and Keir Starmer. Everyone was talking about “significant progress.” France and the United Kingdom even signed a declaration of intent regarding the deployment of troops to Ukraine if a peace agreement were reached. It was supposed to be a historic moment—a turning point in the war.

Moscow’s message: a barrage of drones

And then, less than 24 hours later, Russia struck. Nearly 100 drones were launched against Ukraine. The energy infrastructure in Dnipro and Zaporizhzhia was destroyed. One million people were plunged into darkness and cold. Moscow’s message was clear: “You want to negotiate? Here’s our answer.” It’s brutal. It’s cynical. This is Putin’s Russia.

Zelensky reacted angrily: “There is absolutely no military logic to such strikes. This is Russia’s war specifically against our people, against life in Ukraine—an attempt to break Ukraine.” ” He called on his allies to “respond to this deliberate torment of our people by Russia.” He asked for more air defense systems. More weapons. More support. Because diplomatic talks cannot be an excuse to slow down deliveries of life-saving equipment.

And that’s when I ask myself: what’s the point of negotiating with a country that strikes civilians during peace talks? What’s the point of discussing security guarantees when the other side is using winter as a weapon? Russia doesn’t want peace. It wants surrender. It wants Ukraine to kneel. And as long as the West fails to understand this—as long as it continues to believe that Putin can be reasoned with—millions of Ukrainians will continue to suffer.

Operating by Generator Light

In Dnipro’s hospitals, the situation is critical. The generators are running at full capacity, but they cannot power all departments at the same time. Choices must be made. Operating rooms take priority. Intensive care. The emergency room. The rest must wait. The hallways are plunged into semi-darkness. The patients’ rooms are freezing. Doctors and nurses are working under impossible conditions.

And this isn’t temporary. It’s not a power outage lasting just a few hours. It’s a situation that has been going on for days—and could last for weeks to come. Because the damage is extensive. Because spare parts are in short supply. Because Russia continues to strike. Ukrainian hospitals have become full-fledged war zones. Not because of fighting on the front lines, but because of deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure.

Patients Held Hostage

Imagine you’re sick. That you need surgery. That you’re hospitalized. And suddenly, the power goes out. So does the heat. The water, too. You’re there, in your hospital bed, and you’re cold. You’re afraid. You don’t know if the doctors will be able to treat you properly. You don’t know if the medical equipment will work. You’re held hostage by a war you didn’t choose.

This is the reality for thousands of Ukrainian patients right now. Vulnerable, sick people who depend on the healthcare system to survive. And that system is under attack. Deliberately. Systematically. By a country that claims to be conducting a “special military operation” but which, in reality, is waging all-out war against civilians.

There are times when I wonder how Ukrainians manage to hold on. How they find the strength to carry on. To get up every morning. To work. To live. Despite the cold. Despite the darkness. Despite the fear. And then I remember that this is exactly what Putin wants: to break them. To make them give in. To force them to give up. But they don’t. They’re holding on. They’re resisting. And that, perhaps, is Moscow’s greatest defeat. Because after nearly four years of war, Ukraine is still standing.

Cell towers on their last legs

When the power goes out, it’s not just the lights that go out. It’s also cell phones. Cell towers run on backup batteries for a few hours, then they shut down. And then, there’s silence. Isolation. The inability to reach loved ones. To find out what’s happening. To ask for help.

The Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration has asked residents to limit their use of mobile communications. All mobile operators’ base stations have switched to battery backup power. But those batteries don’t last forever. And when they’re empty, that’s it. No more phone service. No more internet. No more connection to the outside world.

The Frightening Silence

In modern warfare, communications are vital. They allow us to warn people of air raid alerts. To coordinate rescue efforts. To reassure families. When they’re cut off, panic sets in. People no longer know what’s happening. They no longer know if another attack is coming. They’re alone in the dark, with their fear.

And that’s exactly what Russia wants: to create chaos, to sow terror, to isolate people, to cut them off from the world, to make them doubt, to break them. It’s a psychological war as much as a physical one—a war aimed at destroying not only infrastructure but also morale, hope, and the will to resist.

I think of those families who can’t be together. Of those parents who don’t know if their children are safe. Of those children who can’t call their parents. Of that rising anxiety when the phone goes dead. When silence sets in. When you find yourself alone with your fears. That, too, is war. It’s not just the bombs and the dead. It’s also that loneliness. That uncertainty. That fear that never lets you go.

A Call to Western Allies

Zelensky doesn’t mince words. In his address on Thursday, he directly appealed to Western allies: “I ask our partners to respond to this deliberate torment of our people by Russia.” He isn’t asking for charity. He isn’t asking for pity. He’s asking for action. Air defense systems. Weapons to protect civilians. The means to fight back.

Because diplomatic discussions, as important as they may be, cannot be an excuse to slow down the delivery of military equipment. “Diplomatic talks cannot be an excuse to slow down the supply of air defense systems and equipment that help protect lives,” he insisted. It’s a clear message: Do you want peace? Give us the means to defend ourselves. Because Russia only negotiates when it is forced to do so.

Air Defense: An Urgent Need

Ukraine needs air defense systems. Now. Not in six months. Not next year. Now. Because with every passing day, infrastructure is being destroyed. Civilians are being killed. Cities are plunged into darkness. And winter is just beginning. Temperatures will continue to drop. Russian attacks will continue. And without effective air defense, Ukraine will not be able to protect its people.

Western allies have promised Patriot systems, NASAMS, and IRIS-T. Some have arrived. Others are on the way. But it’s not enough. It will never be enough as long as Russia can launch hundreds of drones and missiles unchallenged. Ukraine needs comprehensive air defense coverage—a shield to protect its cities, infrastructure, and civilians. And it needs it now.

And I look at all this and wonder: How much longer? How many more blackouts? How many more people will freeze to death? How many more hospitals will be paralyzed? How many more families will be torn apart before the West finally decides to give Ukraine what it needs? Promises are all well and good. Declarations of intent are fine. But the people shivering in the dark—they need more than just words. They need action. Now.

Schools Closed, Subway Shut Down

In Dnipro, normal life no longer exists. Schools are closed—not for vacation, but because it’s too cold to teach. The subway has stopped running. Public transportation has come to a standstill. People who have to go to work walk in the cold, in the dark, hoping their workplace will have electricity. Many do not.

Businesses are operating at a snail’s pace. Supermarkets open for a few hours a day, when they have electricity. People are lining up to buy candles, batteries, and blankets—anything that can help them survive in the dark and cold. Banks are closed. ATMs aren’t working. Cash is becoming scarce. It’s a return to a survival economy.

Families Getting Organized

In their apartments, families are making do as best they can. They huddle together in a single room to conserve heat. They use gas stoves to cook. They sleep fully clothed, under several blankets. They ration water because there’s none left coming out of the tap. They live day by day, hoping that tomorrow will be better. But tomorrow is never better.

And what about the children in all this? They don’t understand why it’s so cold. Why there’s no more light. Why Mom and Dad look so worried. They ask questions. And the parents don’t know what to say. How do you explain to a child that a faraway country has decided to make them suffer? How do you tell them that it’s not over? That it might go on for a long time yet?

That’s what breaks my heart. The children. The ones who didn’t ask for any of this. Who don’t understand. Who are just cold and afraid. And who will grow up with these memories. These nights in the dark. These freezing winters. This war that’s stealing their childhood. Putin may well claim that he isn’t targeting civilians. But these children, shivering with cold in unheated apartments—they are his victims. Direct. Deliberate. And he’s fully responsible for them.

Ukrainian Resilience in the Face of Russian Barbarism

Day 1,415 of this war. It’s been going on for almost four years. Four years of suffering. Of death. Of destruction. And yet, Ukraine still stands. Despite the missiles. Despite the drones. Despite the cold. Despite the darkness. It stands. Because Ukrainians have understood one thing: if they give up, they lose everything. Their country. Their freedom. Their future.

So they carry on. DTEK technicians make repairs under bombardment. Doctors treat patients by the light of generators. Families huddle together to stay warm. Children go to school when possible. Life goes on. Not as it did before. Not as it should. But it goes on. And that, in itself, is already a victory against those who would like to see them disappear.

As I finish this article, I think of those one million people who, at this very moment, are in the dark and the cold. I think of their courage. Their determination. Their refusal to let themselves be broken. And I tell myself that if humanity still has any meaning, it’s thanks to people like them. Ordinary people facing the extraordinary. Resisting the unacceptable. Holding firm when everything around them is falling apart. Moscow can destroy their infrastructure. Cut off their electricity. Plunge them into the cold. But it will never be able to destroy this: this will to live. This determination to stay on their feet. This Ukraine that refuses to die. And as long as it holds out, as long as these families continue to fight to survive, Russia will already have lost. Because you cannot defeat a people who refuse to kneel.