Ukraine's biggest private energy provider is living in permanent crisis mode because of Russian attacks on the grid, its chief executive has told the BBC.
Most of Ukraine is suffering from lengthy power cuts as temperatures drop and Maxim Timchenko, whose company DTEK provides power for 5.6 million Ukrainians, says the intensity of strikes has been so frequent we just don't have time to recover.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that Russia knew the winter cold could become one of its most dangerous weapons.
As the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion approaches, Maxim Timchenko says Russia has repeatedly targeted DTEK's energy grid with waves of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles and his company has found it difficult to cope.
Many Ukrainians rely on power banks and generators as a back-up, and the sound of generators in the capital is now more constant than the air raid warnings.
About 50% of Ukraine's energy is currently supplied by three large nuclear power plants in central and western Ukraine, but the network that transfers that power has been severely damaged. DTEK runs about five power stations, most of them fuelled by coal, and reports ongoing attacks on their facilities.
Several citizens have exhibited remarkable solidarity, inviting neighbors to charge devices or providing access to heat and water. However, the severity of the situation, with reports of families forced to live in basements at night, paints a dire picture of life amid conflict.
Finding spare parts for repairs has become a significant challenge, with DTEK now having to source equipment from across Europe, having previously managed within Ukraine.
In a desperate plea, Timchenko stated, We will not give up; we have a responsibility to millions of mothers to have power and heat.
