In her Soviet-era apartment block on the outskirts of eastern Kyiv, Oksana Zinkovska-Boyarska lives with daily power cuts. The lift to her eighth-floor apartment often stops, the lights go out and sometimes the pumps maintaining pressure in the gas central heating fail.
She has a big rechargeable battery pack to keep appliances going, but it costs €2,000 (£1,770) and it only lasts so long. Her husband Ievgen, a lawyer, often has to work by torchlight. Their two-year-old daughter Katia plays by candlelight too.
Amid air raids and cold darkness, Oksana says she and Ievgen worry constantly for Katia. I can't describe with words the animal fear when you take your child to the shelter during the explosions. I have never felt anything like that in my life and I wouldn't want anyone to feel anything like that. The thought that she might be scared because there's no light - this is terrible.
All across Ukraine, families are bracing themselves for even tougher times ahead as temperatures can plummet as low as -20C in winter. Recent drone and missile strikes have left much of the country with power cuts of up to 16 hours a day. A senior government official has warned: I think it will be the worst winter of our history; Russia will destroy our energy, our infrastructure, our heating. All state institutions should be prepared for the worst scenario.”
Maxim Timchenko, chief executive of DTEK, commented on the intensity of Russian attacks saying, it is clear Russia is aiming for the complete destruction of Ukraine's energy system.”
The humanitarian aspect of this strategy is also worrying, as one European envoy pointed out: This is not just about people being cold or without light. It's about them not getting bread from the bakery and not being able to work because there is no power to run the factories. The goal of the Russians is to kill our economy.”
Despite the overwhelming difficulties and a looming corruption scandal that threatens to undermine trust in the government, resilience remains strong among the populace. In fact, polls indicate a surprising degree of optimism among Ukrainians, with 56% feeling hopeful about the future.
Even with diplomatic efforts stalled and the winter posing new threats, Ukrainian officials believe the coming months may be the last opportunity for Russia to gain a decisive advantage. With morale fluctuating but fundamentally anchored in a spirit to survive and resist, the ongoing battle reflects a complex interplay of resolve and war weariness, shaping both the immediate future and potential outcomes of this protracted conflict.
