Ukraine is enduring its coldest winter since the start of the full-scale Russian invasion.

In this video report from Ukraine, journalist Simon Ostrovsky documents the impact of continued Russian missile and drone strikes on the country’s energy infrastructure. Widespread power cuts and blackouts have left millions without reliable electricity during extreme winter conditions.

To help civilians cope, cities across Ukraine have established networks of so-called “invincibility points” temporary shelters where residents can warm up, charge phones, access the internet, and carry out basic daily activities during outages. There are now more than a thousand such points in major urban areas.

The report also situates the energy crisis within a broader context, including the difficulty of repairing damaged infrastructure under constant attack, the effects of reduced international assistance, and recent corruption scandals in Ukraine’s energy sector. While these challenges complicate recovery efforts, the video reflects on how accountability in Ukraine’s political system differs from that of Russia.

This Dispatches report captures daily life amid blackouts and the resilience of communities facing Ukraine’s harshest winter of the war.