Kyiv faces worst winter of war as Russia pounds Ukraine's power system

People in Kyiv try to keep warm outside during a power outage caused by Russia's regular air attacks on Ukraine's energy sector that leave residents without power, heating and water, on 18 January 2026. © AP - Danylo Antoniuk

For more than three months, not a day has passed without Russian air raids striking Ukraine's power plants, plunging the country into cold and darkness in the depths of winter. RFI spoke to residents in the capital, Kyiv, where the situation is particularly critical.

Millions of Ukrainians have been under constant threat of Russian air strikes since the war began in 2022. In Kyiv, large-scale raids typically came every two or three weeks – but this year, Russia has ramped up its attacks, which now pound the capital daily.