Ukraine Faces Critical Winter Power Shortage Amid Escalating Russian Strikes

President Volodymyr Zelensky cautioned Saturday in Belgrade that Ukraine is bracing for a winter without functional thermal power plants, as overnight Russian strikes claimed four lives in the Kyiv region, including a child, according to the government.

Speaking alongside his Serbian counterpart, Aleksandar Vucic, the Ukrainian leader noted that Moscow’s recent overnight attacks and shelling of frontline communities combined have resulted in 13 fatalities over the past 24 hours.

“Russian missiles are designed specifically to make the lives of Ukrainians unbearable,” Zelensky declared during his first official visit to Belgrade, pointing out that these attacks frequently target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

As Ukraine prepares for the upcoming heating season, the country is left with “virtually no intact thermal power plants,” according to Zelensky. These plants serve as crucial complements to the nuclear energy that also supports the nation’s power grid.

More than four years after Russia launched its large-scale offensive against Ukraine, the two nations are increasingly ramping up long-range strikes, which continue to cause a significant number of civilian casualties.

In recent months, Moscow has markedly escalated its strikes on the capital, frequently launching salvos of ballistic missiles that are difficult to intercept. Ukraine is pleading for more Patriot interceptors and other Western air defenses to counter this threat.

In retaliation, Kyiv has been launching record numbers of drones against Russian targets.

Escalating Sanctions Pressures

Following his meeting with Vucic during a two-day trip to Serbia, the Ukrainian leader renewed his calls for tougher sanctions. These measures aim to halt the flow of missile components into Russia from “almost every continent, including from our close partners.”

“These components arrive, and then missiles strike people, killing children, civilians and soldiers,” he stated.

The Ukrainian leader emphasized the need for greater access to interceptors in light of the increasing long-range strikes.

Serbia remains one of the few European countries that has yet to impose sanctions on Russia, despite being a longstanding ally of Belgrade.

Vucic, whose government continues to provide non-military aid to Ukraine, noted that while the two countries have discussed the war, his government’s policy has remained unchanged.

“We did not discuss any military cooperation today or at present. What will happen when the war ends is another matter,” Vucic said.

Zelensky, who has extensively toured the world seeking support since Russia’s 2022 invasion, has not visited Serbia since becoming president in 2019.

The Kremlin has accused Serbian firms of selling munitions to Ukraine, a claim Vucic has repeatedly denied.

Vucic traveled to Ukraine for a regional summit in 2025 and visited the capital this year.

He has pledged assistance to Ukraine but refrained from signing a formal declaration of support in the war.

The Serbian leader, on Saturday, also stressed that his policy of supporting Ukraine’s territorial integrity remains unwavering.

Fatalities Among Children

The visit took place following another overnight bombardment of missiles and drones by Russia, which targeted the capital and its surrounding areas.

An AFP reporter in the capital reported hearing a dozen explosions as Ukraine’s air force warned of the “threat of ballistic weapon use from the north”.

Zelensky said shelling had also struck across all frontline communities, causing dozens of injuries. A three-year-old boy was among the dead after a strike on a village outside Kyiv.

“Four more people were hospitalised: the child’s parents, his 15-year-old brother, and a neighbour who came to the family’s aid and was wounded in a double-tap strike,” Zelensky added in a post on X.

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