The financial cost of the damage caused by Russia's attack on Ukraine's energy sector is counted in tens of billions of US dollars. No price can be put on human suffering though – Ukrainians are freezing in the dark in their own homes. This is a quiet humanitarian catastrophe, but Russia is not succeeding in breaking our morale, says Nataliia Fiebrig, co-founder and director of Ukraine2Power, an NGO helping communities build energy independence and delivering emergency support to people in need.

How does Ukraine2Power support people and institutions in emergency situations?

Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, Russia has been using energy as a weapon against civilians. This winter has been especially hard. In parts of Kyiv, heating is completely gone and will not return this season. Whole high-rise districts are freezing, and elevators are not working. Many people, especially the elderly, people who are sick and families with small children, cannot easily leave their apartments. Those who suffer the most are people with disabilities and those who have nowhere else to go.

Ukraine2Power was not created as an emergency relief organisation. Since 2023, our work has focused first on delivering German-made mobile charging systems and later on long-term solutions: helping communities build energy independence by installing solar power and battery systems for schools, hospitals, kindergartens and other public institutions. We believed in sustainable help.  We also never expected that, after four years of war, ordinary people would still be ready to support emergency aid.

But when the situation in Kyiv became this critical, we understood that we simply could not stand aside.

For the first time, we started providing direct emergency support to people in their homes. We prepare aid packages based on real needs. In buildings where heating will not return but electricity is partially available, we buy electric blankets so people can stay warm at night. In buildings without gas, we provide camping gas stoves with cartridges, warm sleeping bags and thermal items. Each package costs around EUR 80 and is put together with one simple question in mind: what would help us survive in this situation ourselves?

At the same time, we continue supporting institutions, because hospitals, schools and kindergartens must keep working even during blackouts. This winter, we are doing both: emergency help for people and long-term energy solutions for communities.

Our team lives in Kyiv and shares the same circumstances.

What is the current capacity for repairing damaged energy infrastructure?

Ukraine’s repair capacity is stretched on two fronts: money and equipment/people. Technically, Ukrainian utilities and repair crews have become extremely fast at emergency fixes and 'keeping the system running,' but they are constrained by shortages of critical hardware (especially high-voltage equipment like transformers, breakers and substation components) and by the reality that repairs often have to be done under repeated attack, in freezing temperatures and sometimes with limited access to sites.

International support remains crucial for three reasons. First, replacement equipment for high-voltage grids and large thermal generation is expensive and often has long lead times. Second, large rebuilds require stable financing that cannot be recovered through tariffs in the short term, especially in wartime conditions. Third, even when technical teams are available, sustained attacks and security constraints make 'normal' reconstruction planning impossible without external procurement channels, donor funding and coordination.

One good illustration of this challenge is the Darnytska Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP) in Kyiv, which has been essentially destroyed. Restoring this site is not a matter of routine repair. A realistic recovery scenario based on modern cogeneration would require approximately EUR 100-120 million, covering new generation equipment, grid connection and mandatory physical protection measures.

Are there official estimates for the damage done to Ukraine's energy infrastructure?

According to the joint Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment (RDNA4) by the Government of Ukraine, the World Bank, the European Commission and the United Nations, direct damage to Ukraine's energy sector is estimated at approximately USD 20.5 billion as of the end of 2024, including more than USD 2.5 billion in losses in district heating alone.

In practice, actual costs are significantly higher, as many assets are not merely damaged but functionally destroyed, requiring full reconstruction rather than repair. Recurrent strikes also multiply costs by repeatedly undoing emergency fixes.

To what extent does the continued insecurity of energy infrastructure affect civilian morale and everyday life?

People are exhausted, especially elderly people and others in vulnerable situations. Cold, darkness and constant uncertainty take a heavy toll. When we deliver aid, we are met with real gratitude, but also with very visible exhaustion. For many people, simply staying warm has become a daily challenge.

At the same time, life in Kyiv goes on. The city continues to function. There is no panic buying, people try to do their work, often wearing winter clothes indoors. Daily life depends heavily on generators, but they are under enormous strain and fuel is very expensive.

This is a quiet humanitarian catastrophe. Yet there is no mood of surrender. Neighbours support one another, meet in their buildings and courtyards, share hot drinks, listen to music and try to keep their spirits up.

This is important because Russia is trying to break civilian morale by targeting energy infrastructure and forcing people to give up. That goal has not been achieved. At the same time, many vulnerable people cannot cope on their own, and support for them is critical to help them get through the winter.

Looking beyond emergency backup power, how do you see your organisation's role in supporting Ukraine's long-term energy transition and resilience?

Our organisation focuses on long-term energy security, resilience and efficiency for Ukrainian communities.

We support communities in building solar power plants and battery storage systems for social infrastructure, such as schools, kindergartens, hospitals and municipal facilities. Many communities initially rely almost exclusively on generators. Many do not fully see the value of renewable and storage technologies. Generators, however, are an emergency solution, not a stable or sustainable one. They are expensive to run, difficult to maintain and unsuitable for long-term resilience.

What Ukraine needs is solutions that will work for many years to come. That is why we help communities with financing, manage projects from planning to implementation, and ensure that systems are designed for real local needs. At the same time, we deliberately involve communities in co-financing and decision making. This is essential so that local authorities and institutions truly understand the benefits, take ownership of the systems, and gain the capacity to implement similar projects independently in the future.

How can our readers support your work?

It is crucial to understand that the war has not ended and that civilian suffering is still enormous. Russian forces continue to kill Ukrainian families, deliberately destroy energy infrastructure, and use cold and darkness as weapons against civilians. Speaking about this reality and sharing information is essential. It helps keep attention on what is happening and prevents the normalisation of suffering.

Those who want to help directly can support with donations, especially to sustainable, long-term projects that will strengthen communities for years to come, not only emergency responses. These projects will help people survive not just this winter, but future ones as well.

Finally, readers should understand that this situation exists because Ukraine has not been able to fully protect itself. There has not been enough air defence or enough weapons to stop these attacks. Russia is committing war crimes, and accountability must follow. Readers can raise their voices with their elected representatives, urging them to increase the cost for Russia through stronger sanctions, military support and courageous political decisions. Europe is stronger than it often believes, and its choices matter.

Nataliia Fiebrig is a Ukrainian civic activist and international journalist based in Berlin. She is the co-founder and director of Ukraine2Power, a Ukrainian NGO working with Ukrainian communities to strengthen energy security and long-term resilience through sustainable solutions for social infrastructure.

If you want to help the important work Ukraine2Power is doing to alleviate the suffering of the Ukrainian population, you can make a donation here.

If you are based in Germany, you can make a donation through Ukraine2Power's German partner organisation WE AID (IBAN: DE52 3702 0500 0001 8388 01, Reference: Ukraine2Power).

The fifth edition of the EU Organic Awards launched on 10 February!

The awards are jointly organised by the European Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the European Committee of the Regions, Copa-Cogeca and IFOAM Organics Europe. They aim to recognise excellence throughout the organic value chain, rewarding the best and most innovative players in EU organic production.

The EESC is responsible for three of the seven awards: the best organic food-processing SME, the best organic food retailer and the best restaurant/food service.

Applications will be accepted via an online form between 10 February until 26 April 2025 on this page. Please spread the word.

Watch these videos of last year’s winners, selected by the EESC, and learn more about their organic journey.

For further information, you are welcome to contact the EESC secretariat at EUorganicawardsEESC@eesc.europa.eu.

Registrations are now open for the third edition of Civil Society Week, taking place from 2 to 5 March 2026 at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) in Brussels, under the title People, Democracy, Resilience – Our Future!.

As the institutional house of organised civil society, the EESC will once again bring together civil society organisations, citizens, EU institutions, national economic and social councils and stakeholders from across Europe, including candidate countries, for four days of exchange, reflection and cooperation.

The third edition of Civil Society Week will focus on tackling poverty, reducing social exclusion, involving citizens and bridging divides across regions and generations to rebuild trust and foster lasting social cohesion. In this context, advancing diversity, civic engagement, equality and inclusion are key pathways to renewing Europe’s social and democratic promise for future generations.

Civil Society Week 2026 will offer a timely space to collectively reflect on these challenges considering Europe’s evolving political, social and economic landscape.

The programme will feature a series of thematic panels led by the EESC’s Liaison Group with European civil society networks. Among other things, they will touch upon issues topping European public debates such as affordable housing, education, the European Democracy Shield, funding civic space and democratic and media resilience.

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) Day will take place on 3 March, highlighting participatory democracy and citizens’ involvement in EU policymaking. Speakers will include organisers of ECIs, including My Voice, My Choice; Stop Destroying Video Games; Demand the full suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement in view of Israel’s violations of human rights; Food is a Human Right for All! Guaranteeing healthy, just and sustainable food systems.

The week will also include a dedicated session to be held by EU national economic and social councils on 2 March, as well as a screening on 4 March of the film Deaf (Sorda), nominated for the LUX Audience Award. The event will conclude on 5 March with a reception and conversation to mark International Women’s Day.

Speakers include EESC and Committee of the Regions members, MEPs, representatives of the European Commission, the European Ombudsman, prominent researchers, civil society activists and representatives of civil society organisations from across Europe.

We would love it if you could join us! Secure your spot and register now. You can follow all updates to the programme via the event webpage.