How Ukraine is being helped to survive the winter of 2026: light, warmth, and international solidarity

Winter 2026 became one of the most difficult periods for Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale war. Massive Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, electricity and heat shortages, and prolonged blackouts forced the state and international partners to operate in a state of constant crisis readiness. To prevent millions of Ukrainians from being left without basic living conditions, comprehensive international assistance was mobilized – from repairing the energy system to humanitarian support for households. This is reported by UNN.

International plan: preparing for winter in advance

Even before the cold weather began, UN humanitarian agencies, together with the Ukrainian authorities and international partners, launched the Winter Response Plan 2025-2026.

The document provided assistance to the most vulnerable groups of the population – residents of frontline regions, internally displaced persons, the elderly, and families with children.

Priorities included heating, housing insulation, access to electricity, and financial support for households.

Energy: generators, transformers, and grid repairs

Energy remains a key area of international support. The European Union, G7 countries, and individual states have allocated hundreds of millions of euros to restore damaged energy facilities. Assistance includes the supply of transformers, mobile substations, cables, and high-voltage equipment.

The Ukraine Energy Support Fund plays a special role, through which donors directly finance the purchase of equipment for Ukrainian energy companies. Among the donors are Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Great Britain, and other countries.

Generators and critical infrastructure

Thousands of diesel and gas generators have been supplied to hospitals, water utilities, boiler houses, schools, and critical infrastructure facilities. This has allowed vital services to continue operating during prolonged power outages.

In parallel, international partners are funding the repair of heating networks, pipe replacement, and the restoration of boiler houses in cities that are regularly shelled.

Humanitarian aid: money, warmth, and basic necessities

In addition to infrastructural solutions, a large part of the aid is directed directly to people. As part of winter programs, UN agencies and international humanitarian organizations provide cash assistance to households to pay for heating, fuel, and utility services.

Heaters, blankets, warm clothes, and solid fuel are also delivered to residents of rural and frontline communities.

UNICEF and aid to children

A separate area of work is child protection. UNICEF supports the restoration of heat supply in schools, kindergartens, and hospitals, and provides cash assistance to families with children. This allows access to education and medical services to be maintained even during peak cold periods.

Support from individual states

Significant contributions are made by individual partner countries. Great Britain finances the emergency restoration of energy and heating facilities. Norway, within the framework of long-term programs, provides large-scale assistance to civilian infrastructure. EU countries supply equipment, generators, and financial resources for the winter.

One of the most difficult periods of the war that we must endure

Winter 2026 became another test of Ukraine's resilience. The combination of internal resource mobilization and large-scale international support helps to avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. Generators, restored heating networks, cash assistance, and Invincibility Points have become key survival tools this winter.

At the same time, the volume of needs remains critically high, which means that international solidarity will continue to be a decisive condition for providing Ukrainians with light and heat. Despite the fact that Ukrainians may be sitting without light, the country is still functioning.

Unfortunately, several factors coincided – and because of this, we have such difficulties: a shortage of air defense and a very harsh winter. However, half of the winter has passed – there is still a little left.

Recall

Ukraine received 50 tons of humanitarian aid from the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Spain, and Norway. The aid includes transformers, generators, and other energy equipment.