Ukraine braces for harsh winter as millions of people face cold and energy shortages

Since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of the eastern European country in 2022, crucial infrastructure has been destroyed or damaged and hundreds of thousands of people have been impacted by the ongoing fighting, creating an urgent need for humanitarian aid.

"Children and families already facing extreme daily stress are now forced to endure yet another winter during wartime," said Munir Mammadzade, The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF Representative to Ukraine.

According to UNICEF, Ukraine's harsh winter conditions - often plunging to -20°C (-4°F) - together with the widespread destruction of housing, energy, and heating infrastructure, are making the cold season increasingly perilous for children.

Frontline communities

The areas most affected by cold during the winter are primarily concentrated in northern and eastern Ukraine.

These include regions along the frontline and the northern border, specifically Chernihivska, Dnipropetrovska, Donetska, Kharkivska, and Sumska. 

Almost half of the families in Ukraine rely on centralized water supplied heated by gas or coal, however since 2022, local heating infrastructure has sustained nearly $2.5 billion in damage, reports the children's relief agency. 

To make matters worse, over the past three years, household poverty has risen by 15 per cent, now affecting over a third of Ukraine's population, with children disproportionately impacted, around 70 per cent living in poverty.

UNICEF said the combination of rising poverty and harsh winter conditions significantly increases risks to children's health and well-being, with one in five families reporting health problems linked to cold indoor temperatures.

Winter Response: lifesaving support

"We're working with local partners to provide support to vulnerable families and to minimize the impact of the winter months by keeping essential services running to protect children's lives," added Mammadzade.   

UNICEF Ukraine's 2025-26 winter response plan focuses on the "efficacy of cash transfers" to households and schools, as well as the sustainable impact of local heating repairs and upgrades, including three core areas:  

• Cash for winterization assistance targeting 272,000 people, including around 122,000 children, from vulnerable households in frontline areas and children with specific needs such as child protection concerns.
• Cash grants for 600 education facilities, covering some 250,000 students, to support winter-related expenditures.
• Equipment and emergency repairs to strengthen district heating systems and ensure sustainable heating for one million people, including 170,000 children. 

Challenges ahead 

Challenges remain regarding limited funding, inconsistent access to certain regions, widespread infrastructure destruction, and the unpredictability of hostilities. 

UNICEF is seeking $65 million to support over one million people, as part of the broader 2025-2026 UN winter response plan, which requires $277.7 million to continue delivering aid to the most vulnerable. 

Read more about how the UN is supporting Ukrainians during the winter: REACH 2025-2026 Cold Spot Risk Assessment