Ukraine braces for its hardest winter yet: “We can hold on as long as the front needs it”

As Russia steps up attacks on Ukraine’s power grid, millions brace for a bitter, dark winter. In Kyiv, Oksana Zinkovska-Boyarska lights candles for her two-year-old daughter Katia. “I can’t describe the animal fear when you take your child to the shelter during explosions,” she says.

The Ukrainian government warns this could be “the hardest winter in our history”, with temperatures plunging to -20°C and power cuts lasting up to 16 hours a day. Officials say Russia’s goal is not only to freeze homes but to crush morale and the economy.

“Russia’s aim is to destroy our social cohesion,” a European envoy told the BBC. Strikes have targeted eastern gas and power networks, attempting to “cut Ukraine in two”.

On the battlefield, fighting near Pokrovsk has intensified, and the city’s potential fall could be Moscow’s first major victory since 2024. Corruption scandals have shaken Kyiv’s government, and peace talks with Moscow and Washington are on hold.

Yet Ukrainians remain strikingly resilient. A recent poll found 56% of citizens optimistic about the country’s future — up from 43% in May.

“This winter is Russia’s last chance to defeat us,” a senior Ukrainian official said. “If we make it to April 1st, we’ll win the war.”
And so, even under the threat of missiles, life goes on. At Kyiv’s Dynamo Stadium, thousands sing the national anthem together. “Even though drones could hit us anytime,” says 17-year-old Rodion, “we still come. Because this is who we are.”