The energy situation in Kyiv remains critical, with officials on January 15 describing the crisis as "extremely serious." The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) presented evidence suggesting that Russia’s ongoing strikes on energy infrastructure constitute "crimes against humanity," deliberately targeting civilian systems.

Air raid sirens blared across the capital over the past 48 hours as the Ukrainian Air Force reported at least 82 Shahed-type drones launched by Russia. Among them, advanced rocket-powered drones struck a thermal power plant in Kyiv, according to local monitoring channels. Explosions were also reported in Kharkiv, where Mayor Ihor Terehov confirmed that a major energy facility was destroyed. Emergency services and specialists are working around the clock to stabilize the situation.

Maxim Timchenko, CEO of DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, warned on social media that the country’s energy sector faces an "extremely serious situation" due to both Russian attacks and extreme cold. Olena Pavlenko, president of the Kyiv-based DiXi Group think tank, said that without Russian interference, energy supply could return to near-normal levels within weeks, though outages would persist. Pavlenko stressed that repair efforts must run alongside upgrades to air defenses to prevent repeated attacks.

As of January 15, temperatures in Kyiv reached -11°C (12°F). The attacks on energy infrastructure have left around 70% of the capital without power, and replacement equipment is running low. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that roughly 300 apartment buildings remained without heating, with emergency blackout schedules still in effect.

President Volodymyr Zelensky declared a state of emergency in the energy sector on January 14, focusing particularly on Kyiv. Newly appointed Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal announced that a headquarters to manage the aftermath of Russian strikes had been established, with instructions to stabilize heat and energy supply throughout the capital and Kyiv Oblast.

The SBU documented 256 Russian aerial attacks on energy and heating infrastructure since the start of the 2025 heating season. These attacks have targeted 11 hydroelectric power plants, 45 combined heat and power plants, 49 thermal power plants, and 151 electrical substations, using Iskander ballistic missiles, Kalibr and Kh-series cruise missiles, and Shahed drones. The heaviest damage has been reported in Kyiv, Kyiv Oblast, Kharkiv, Odesa, Dnipropetrovsk, Sumy, Mykolaiv, and Chernihiv oblasts.

In response, the United Kingdom announced on January 16 that it will allocate £20 million (approximately €23 million) to support Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. The funding aims to restore electricity and heating for millions of Ukrainians, including children and elderly citizens, during severe winter conditions. The UK also expanded its school twinning programme under the first-year celebrations of the 100-year partnership between Kyiv and London, benefiting 54,000 students and adding another 300 schools over the next three years.