Ukraine’s largest energy firm struggles amid Russian attacks

(MENAFN) Ukraine’s energy sector is under immense strain as Russian strikes repeatedly target the country’s power infrastructure, leaving millions without electricity, heat, or water, according to Maxim Timchenko, CEO of the nation’s largest private energy provider, DTEK. The company supplies power to 5.6 million Ukrainians and has been forced to operate in “permanent crisis mode” due to the intensity and frequency of attacks.

President Volodymyr Zelensky recently warned that Russia sees winter cold as a potential weapon, noting that families often spend nights in basements and shelters relying on air defense to keep them safe.

Repeated waves of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic strikes have crippled Ukraine’s energy network, particularly in the south. Tens of thousands in Odesa went without electricity for three days this week following a coordinated attack, forcing residents to rely on neighbors’ homes to charge phones or access heat and water. Across the country, electricity is being rationed, with power supplied only for a few hours each day. Many citizens now depend on generators and power banks to get by.

About half of Ukraine’s electricity comes from three large nuclear plants in central and western regions, but transmission networks have been severely damaged. DTEK operates five power stations, mainly coal-fueled, which have been repeatedly hit by missile strikes. Some facilities face attacks every three to four days, and the company has spent $166 million this year repairing damaged thermal plants and coal facilities. Finding spare parts has also become a major challenge, with equipment now sourced from across Europe rather than domestically.

DTEK traces its origins to the Donbas region, the hardest-hit area, where energy supply disruptions are most severe. Eight of the company’s engineers have been killed while maintaining the grid. Timchenko emphasized the stakes: “Every day they risk their lives to keep power in this area” and insisted, “We will not give up… We have a responsibility to millions of mothers to have power and heat.”

Residents, like Kyiv’s Tetiana and Odesa’s Yana, have adapted to the rationing, checking daily schedules for power availability, keeping devices charged, and sharing resources with neighbors. Despite these hardships, Ukrainians continue to show resilience, supporting each other while navigating life in an energy-starved nation.

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