Ukraine Faces Winter Struggles as Russian Strikes Leave Over One Million Without Heat or Water

Wed Feb 18 2026 14:10:06 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Following recent drone strikes from Russia, Ukraine reports that over one million people in the Dnipropetrovsk region are without heat and water as the winter season intensifies. The Ukrainian government is working to restore services while facing ongoing attacks aimed at crippling its energy infrastructure.

Ukraine's deputy prime minister announced that over one million individuals in Dnipropetrovsk are currently without heat and water due to Russian drone strikes. The Ukrainian government is striving to restore essential services while President Zelensky calls for continued Western support against escalating attacks on energy infrastructure during winter. Vital hospitals and facilities are operating under backup systems, and the CEO of Ukraine's main power provider states they are in a permanent crisis mode due to frequent attacks.

Russian drone strikes on Ukraine have left more than one million people in the region of Dnipropetrovsk without heating and water supplies, according to Ukraine's deputy prime minister. Oleksiy Kuleba noted that efforts are ongoing to restore services after the large-scale attack damaged infrastructure throughout the southeast.

Electricity supplies were also disrupted for thousands more in neighboring Zaporizhzhia, but power has since been restored. In a worrying trend, Russia has intensified its attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure, a tactic aimed at crippling power supplies during the harsh winter months. President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized these actions as a form of mockery and has been vocal about the need for additional Western support.

Critical services such as hospitals and water facilities in Dnipropetrovsk are functioning on backup systems, and the energy ministry has urged residents to limit their electricity use to alleviate pressure on the grid. With nearly all of Ukraine affected by power outages, DTEK, the country's largest private energy provider, is under a constant state of crisis management due to ongoing assaults on the power grid.

Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, has expressed frustration over the frequency of the strikes, stating the company cannot fully recover between attacks. As the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion approaches, the bombardment of energy facilities continues to be a primary focus for Russian forces.

Zelensky underscored the lack of military justification for targeting civilian infrastructure, especially in the winter. He encouraged citizens to remain resilient against Russia's attempts to destabilize the country and has indicated that peace negotiations should not impede the flow of Western air defense supplies.

During a diplomatic push, Zelensky met with international allies, including the US President's peace envoys, discussing the potential deployment of troops in Ukraine should a peace deal be reached. Amid these talks, Zelensky has voiced concerns over the lack of solid security guarantees from European allies against further Russian aggression.

He remains cautiously hopeful, suggesting that the war against Russia could see resolution within the next few years while emphasizing the importance of EU involvement in future negotiations.