A top United Nations official has cautioned that Ukraine is bracing for its “toughest winter” since Russia launched its full-scale invasion in 2022, warning that continued attacks on critical infrastructure could trigger a humanitarian catastrophe.
Alexander De Croo, the administrator of the UN Development Programme and the organization’s third-highest-ranking official, spoke with the BBC while visiting Ukraine. He described the situation as a “race against the clock” to repair the nation’s power grid before temperatures drop and winter conditions set in.
De Croo, a former prime minister of Belgium, criticized Russia for the “systematic” targeting of civilian and energy assets, including petrol stations, shopping malls, and transmission lines. He stated there was “absolutely no justification” for such strikes and warned that the loss of heating, water, and sewage systems could lead to dire consequences when temperatures plummet to -20C.
The warnings come amid a renewed escalation in hostilities following diplomatic efforts by US envoys last weekend. Recent Russian drone attacks have struck civilian sites, including a shopping mall in Pavlohrad where five people were killed and 67 wounded. Additional strikes on malls in Zaporizhzhia and Sumy resulted in two deaths and 28 injuries. Meanwhile, Ukraine has launched drone strikes deep into Russian territory, including an attack on the Black Sea resort city of Sochi that reportedly injured 28 people.
In response to the crumbling energy grid, the UN Development Programme is supporting efforts to rebuild damaged infrastructure and establish more sustainable, decentralized energy plants. However, De Croo noted that these reconstruction efforts are fraught with danger, as workers must operate under constant air raid alarms at sites that are actively targeted.
De Croo is right, but can the West actually deliver in time? The race against the clock feels desperate.
The images from Pavlohrad are heartbreaking. Winter is coming and people are trapped without heat.