In Ukrainian, the word February — лютий, Liutyi — carries meanings that go far beyond a calendar reference.
It can mean fierce, harsh, bitter, merciless, cruel.
On this 4th winter of war, the word has taken on a painfully literal meaning for millions of Ukrainians, forced to endure freezing temperatures in the aftermath of Russia’s deliberate campaign to destroy the country’s critical energy infrastructure.
In cities plunged into darkness and frontline communities cut off from stable electricity and heating, winter is no longer just a season — it is a daily test of endurance.
In this reality, energy support is not about comfort; it is about survival.
Keeping the lights on means keeping hospitals running, homes habitable, and communities functioning.
As Ukraine faces yet another winter under attack, international energy and winterisation assistance has become a lifeline.
For the winter of 2025–2026 alone, the EU has allocated €40 million to support winterisation efforts, reinforcing a broader commitment that has already reached over €1.3 billion in humanitarian aid since 2022. At the heart of this response stands the European Union, helping Ukraine withstand the cold, protect its most vulnerable, and endure another season of war.
Keeping the power on
That support translates first into power. When Russia strikes Ukraine’s energy system, generators often become the difference between total darkness and the ability to keep essential services running.
Since the start of the full-scale invasion, through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, over 11,000 generators have been offered, of which 4,000 were delivered from the EU’s strategic reserves.
Today, across the country they power:
- hospitals
- schools
- water utilities
- other critical services
In order to help stabilise a grid repeatedly damaged by attacks, EU support goes further. Ukraine has received:
- over 7,200 transformers, 6 high-capacity autotransformers
- thousands of electrical components
- millions of energy-efficient LED lights
The effort to keep the lights in Ukraine on, culminated in the largest civil protection operation in EU history: the relocation of an entire thermal power plant from Lithuania to Ukraine.
Over 11 months, 149 shipments transported nearly 2,400 tonnes of equipment, restoring electricity supply for around 1 million people at a crucial moment.
Keeping the warmth in
When energy is rare, warmth becomes precious. With EU funding, UNHCR and its partners have delivered heaters and rapid thermal kits to insulate war-damaged homes. As a result, more than 22,000 people now live in better-protected houses, shielded from freezing temperatures ahead of this winter.
The Danish Refugee Council complements these efforts through EU-funded winterisation programmes, replacing shattered windows or providing cash so families can install new ones themselves. In conditions of unstable electricity supply, proper insulation helps retain heat and makes homes livable again.
For thousands of Ukrainians forced to leave their homes and move into collective centres, warmth and comfort are more than basic needs. They are a sign that these people have not been left alone with their pain. With EU funding, IOM is winterising 72 collective sites this winter, ensuring safe and warm shelter for up to 10,700 internally displaced people through repairs, heating upgrades, sanitation improvements and better lighting.
Сash assistance: warmth, food, dignity
Not all needs are the same. Cash assistance may be invisible, but its impact is tangible: it allows families to decide what matters most — fuel, food or other essentials.
UNHCR, working with government authorities, is providing winter cash assistance to families living in frontline and border areas, where infrastructure damage and exposure to the war are most severe. By the end of December 2025, around 195,000 people had already received this support to cover winter-specific needs such as solid fuel.
At the same time, with a contribution from the EU, UNICEF is supporting 320,000 Ukrainians with cash assistance, so households can stay warm and prepare hot meals despite blackouts.
Fuel support where energy access is limited
Where electricity is unreliable or simply unavailable, warmth depends on the most basic resources.
In frontline areas where markets barely function due to active hostilities, People in Need has also distributed fuel briquettes to 1,229 households, representing 2,180 individuals, across Kherson, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk and Donetsk regions, ensuring heat in places where alternatives are scarce.
In addition, this winter, around 300 households will receive firewood with support from the EU and GIZ, helping families heat their homes despite constant disruptions.
Since the very beginning of the war, the European Union and its partners have been strengthening Ukraine’s resilience in countless ways and the energy supply is more than ever at the heart of their strategy. Modular boiler rooms installed by WHO in hospitals ensure that medical care can continue even under extreme conditions. Repairs to heating and water systems bring warmth and running water back to communities hit by attacks. Solar panels now power critical infrastructure, providing reliable energy where the grid is fragile or disrupted.
Together, these efforts are more than emergency measures — they are a promise that even in the harshest winter and under relentless attacks, life, hope, and human dignity endure.
