Zelensky Declares Permanent State Of Emergency For Energy Sector
Already Ukraine's power grid has long suffered, with rolling blackouts having been in effect across parts of the country for much of the past year, but this week things have gotten worse amid a harsh freeze.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that the government is declaring a state of emergency in the energy sector after repeated Russian strikes damaged heating and power facilities during freezing winter conditions.
"A permanent coordination headquarters will be established to address the situation in the city of Kyiv. Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector," Zelensky confirmed after coming out of a crisis meeting.
He added that efforts were underway "to significantly increase the volume of electricity imports into Ukraine." But no matter how fast repair teams work, or alternative imports enter, the energy grid is being degraded faster than parts can be found or replaced.
Emergency repair teams are working nonstop to restore power across the capital region. For example, in Boryspil - a town of roughly 60,000 residents southeast of Kiev - engineers have been dismantling and reconstructing damaged electrical systems after strikes destroyed critical components.
Local energy officials say crews are operating in subzero conditions, even down to minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit), from early morning until late at night.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko has described the situation the most severe and prolonged power outage since Russia launched its full-scale invasion nearly four years ago, noting that some neighborhoods have been without electricity for several days in a row.
The European Union and NATO have been scrambling to come up with ways to both keep the lights on in Ukraine and defend its cities and vital infrastructure from being devastated by Russia.
All of this is part of Moscow's attrition strategy, knowing it can outlast, out-gun, and out-manpower Ukraine. This is also about inflicting broader pain and suffering among the population, in hopes of destabilizing the Zelensky government enough to replace him.
Lights out in Ukrainian cities, with some residents having generators or alternative means...
Kyiv.
— Yaroslava (@strategywoman) January 13, 2026
No electricity for 15 hours.
Maybe it’ll be back tomorrow morning (usually for no more than four hours).
I’ll save my phone battery.
Will write only if something critical happens (or when power returns). pic.twitter.com/UofzwAZiWD
But Europe is equally scrambling to pull resources to prop up Zelensky as well as Ukraine's civic sector. But looming is the continued escalation, and the potential for the West to pour more powerful weapons into the conflict, such as long-range missiles.
If this happens, Moscow will probably unleash more intensive 'shock and awe' style strikes on population and decision-making centers like Kiev.