Since the full-scale invasion began, Ukraine’s energy system has been under constant attack. According to reports from, among others, the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Ukraine’s Ministry of Energy, Russia has carried out more than 3,000 disruptions to the power grid in 2025 alone.

How is Ukraine affected by the attacks on its energy infrastructure?

Before the war, Ukraine had a generating capacity of approximately 38 gigawatts (GW). That is roughly 35% more than Sweden’s electricity consumption on a severely cold winter day. Ukraine’s power grid was built to supply a country the size of France.

When Russia knocks out just 1 GW, it is comparable to unplugging an entire city of one million inhabitants. During 2025, there have been periods in which as much as 60–70 percent of this capacity has been temporarily taken offline.

So what does this mean for Ukraine’s civilian population?

Many people think of power outages as merely dark apartments, but in Ukraine, the loss of energy triggers a chain reaction that threatens lives on multiple levels.

1. Water pumps shut down: Without electricity, water utilities cannot pump clean water through the system. In high-rise residential areas, this can force families to carry water in buckets up dozens of floors through pitch-dark stairwells.
2. District heating systems fail: The massive pumps that circulate hot water to radiators are powered by electricity. If the power goes out when temperatures are –15°C and the water stops flowing, pipes can freeze and burst within just a few hours. A frozen and damaged system is often extremely difficult to repair during winter, rendering the building immediately uninhabitable.
3. Healthcare depends on backup power: In hospitals, generators are not a convenience—they are the sole reason life-support systems continue to operate. A surgeon cannot pause an operation because the power grid fails.

2026: Ukraine’s Electricity Crisis Deepens

Reports from yesterday once again remind us of the brutal reality in Ukraine. When the Ukrainian parliament is forced to shut down due to a lack of both electricity and water, it becomes clear that energy infrastructure remains a primary target. SVT reports that 335,000 residents of Kyiv were left completely without power following intensified attacks on the power grid. At the same time, the population is under pressure from extreme winter cold, with temperatures fluctuating between –10 and –15 degrees Celsius.

Unfortunately, these are headlines we have become accustomed to over recent years. Behind every figure is a family trying to stay warm in a dark apartment, a hospital struggling to keep life-support systems running, and a school forced to suspend classes.

The situation at the beginning of 2026 places greater demands on us than ever before. This is no longer only about temporary repairs, but about a fight for the civilian population’s survival through the fourth winter of war.

Centralized power plants are extremely vulnerable, which makes our work with decentralized energy solutions—such as generators and battery systems—more critical than ever.

The work from Power Up Ukraine

By delivering equipment, we at Power Up Ukraine create small, independent energy reserves. A 5 kW generator can supply power to a shelter. A 100 kW unit can keep an entire block or a hospital running. We are building a new, decentralized power grid—one generator at a time.

So far, since the start of the war, we have—through donations and volunteer work—successfully completed 38 trips to Ukraine, most of them loaded with power-generation equipment. More routes are planned. Our team works relentlessly to coordinate, transport, repair, and prepare new shipments for delivery. We are currently preparing a consignment that includes both smaller power units suitable for individual households, as well as larger versions with V12 engines capable of supplying electricity to entire hospitals, schools, or residential blocks. To those who have donated, we can report that large, operational generators of this kind are currently deployed at no fewer than 15 hospitals across Ukraine.

When you support us, you are helping to repair what Russia is actively trying to destroy. For many people, electricity means access to clean water, functioning healthcare, and a manageable daily life. Electricity is therefore a prerequisite for Ukrainian society to continue functioning despite the horrific war that is ongoing.

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