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Energy provider in perpetual crisis as attacks escalate
Ukraine's biggest private energy company, DTEK, is operating in a state of constant emergency due to repeated Russian strikes on the power grid, its CEO Maxim Timchenko told the BBC. With winter deepening, the company serves 5.6 million Ukrainians but lacks time to repair damage between attacks.
Zelensky warns of winter as a weapon
President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the Dutch parliament on Tuesday, framing the cold as a deliberate Russian strategy. "Every night, Ukrainian parents shelter children in basements, hoping air defenses hold," he said. The fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion looms, with strikes targeting energy infrastructure intensifying.
Blackouts paralyze cities
Odesa faced three consecutive days without electricity this week after a coordinated Russian assault. Across Ukraine, power is rationed to a few hours daily, forcing reliance on generators and power banks. Kyiv resident Tetiana checks her phone each morning for the day's supply schedule, while Yana, who still has power, hosts strangers to charge devices or bathe.
"Life is hard, but people support each other," Yana said.
Grid under siege
Half of Ukraine's energy comes from three nuclear plants, but the transmission network is severely damaged. DTEK operates five coal-fired stations, one recently hit by five ballistic missiles. Timchenko reported attacks on plants and substations every three to four days, with no day passing without damage reports.
Sourcing spare parts has become a critical challenge. Previously domestic, DTEK now scours Europe for replacements, spending $166 million this year to repair thermal plants and coal facilities.
Workers pay the price
DTEK's roots lie in Donbas, where fighting is fiercest and outages are most severe. Eight engineers have died maintaining power in the region. "They risk their lives daily to keep the lights on," Timchenko said. Despite the toll, he vowed to persist: "We owe millions of mothers power and heat."
