Russia hit Ukraine’s energy for 257 times this cold season. What makes latest damage different could take months or years to repair

As a result of Russian attacks, Kyiv residents will have up to six hours of electricity per day for at least another month, energy expert Stanislav Ihnatiev says, Telehraf reports. Meanwhile, Ukraine is enduring one of the freezing winters of the past decade, as cold cyclones have swept across the country for the second consecutive month.

Ukraine has suffered from 257 Russian strikes on energy infrastructure since the start of the cold season.

Terrorist attacks disrupt hospital operations, prevent people with illnesses from using elevators, and cut off oxygen supply to medical equipment.

At the same time, Russia is bombing evacuation trains in an attempt to provoke protests in major cities, increase pressure on the authorities, and force Ukraine to capitulate.

Why can Ukraine not quickly restore the supply? 

Ukraine’s power system is currently facing a severe electricity deficit, which Ihnatiev describes as “wild.” It cannot be quickly offset by imports or reserves, as the problem is systemic and affects the entire country, not just individual regions.

“In February, the capital will have only 4–6 hours of electricity per day. Substations are destroyed so power is supplied only where it can still be transmitted and distributed,” Ihnatyev explains.

The reason for these harsh restrictions is the devastating Russian strikes on key nodes of the backbone power grid—the Vinnytsia 550 and Kyivska 750 substations.

These facilities are critical: they enable power transmission between regions and ensure the stable operation of Ukraine’s entire energy system.

Destroyed CHP plants turn Kyiv's energy sector into a prolonged crisis zone

Damage to substations of this class is not a local outage but a strategic blow to the national energy system.

“The loss of 550 and 750 kV equipment eliminates the ability to transmit electricity over long distances, automatically creating shortages even in regions where generation remains intact,” Ihnatiev notes.

Because of the unique equipment used at substations of this level, their restoration may take months or even years, the expert warns.

In Kyiv itself, the situation is critical: CHP-6 is effectively destroyed, and CHP-4 in Darnytsia has been taken out of service for an extended period.

These facilities were key sources of electricity and heat for the capital’s left bank, and their loss has sharply deepened the crisis.