Ukraine Braces for Its Toughest Winter Since Russian Invasion. Officials Warn Energy Grid Faces Growing Threats.

Ukraine is preparing for what officials fear could become the country's most difficult winter since Russia launched its full-scale invasion as Moscow ramps up missile strikes targeting critical energy infrastructure and Kyiv continues to grapple with shortages of advanced air defense systems.

With temperatures still high in the middle of summer, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already made winter preparedness a central priority, warning that protecting power plants, heating facilities and other essential infrastructure will be critical to keeping the country functioning during the colder months.

Russia has stepped up missile and drone attacks against Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, a strategy analysts believe is designed to exploit Kyiv's limited supply of ballistic missile interceptors and place additional pressure on civilian infrastructure before the heating season begins.

In an effort to strengthen the government's response, Zelenskyy last month appointed former Naftogaz chief executive Sergii Koretskyi as Ukraine's new prime minister, describing the leadership change as part of a broader effort to safeguard lives and ensure the country can withstand another winter under sustained Russian attacks.

The reshuffle reflects growing concern that energy resilience will once again become one of the defining fronts of the war, just as it has during previous winters when Russian forces repeatedly targeted Ukraine's electricity grid, causing widespread blackouts and disrupting heating supplies across the country.

Iryna Terekh, chief executive of Ukrainian drone manufacturer Fire Point, said the coming months could prove even more challenging than last winter because Ukraine still faces significant shortages in its air defense capabilities. "Winter is coming, obviously, and the last winter was very hard for Ukraine and for big cities in general. This one would be no easier, and probably even harder," Terekh told CNBC.

Ukraine continues to rely heavily on the U.S.-made Patriot PAC-3 missile defense system to intercept Russian ballistic missiles, while domestic defense companies race to develop indigenous technologies capable of strengthening the country's air defense network.

However, Terekh acknowledged that creating advanced missile defense systems is a long-term process. "We are trying to squeeze in the program that usually takes 20 to 30 years to develop in a few years, and this is not something that you can do within a matter of three months before the winter," she said.

The uncertainty surrounding future U.S. military support has added another layer of concern.
President Donald Trump, who has recently signaled greater willingness to assist Ukraine, nevertheless raised questions about one of Kyiv's key requests during an interview with the Financial Times on July 30, saying he had not yet decided whether the United States would allow Ukraine to manufacture Patriot surface-to-air interceptor missiles domestically.

Following reports that Russia allegedly used a North Korean missile in a deadly strike on the village of Radushne, Zelenskyy again appealed to Western allies for additional air defense support.

"I hope that all of our partners, above all our American partners, as well as our friends in Europe, will feel that real human lives depend on whether they help us," Zelenskyy said in a social media statement.

Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO and an advisory council member of Ukraine's largest private energy company DTEK, said Russia is likely to continue using winter as a strategic weapon but argued the Kremlin's long-term ability to sustain the war is weakening.

"Putin is on a long-term path to defeat. He cannot keep up with the battlefield losses. Ukraine is knocking out oil refining and export capacity, which is drying up the Kremlin's budget," Volker said.

He predicted Russia would continue fighting through the winter but suggested growing military and economic pressures could eventually force Moscow toward a ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian forces have increasingly targeted Russian logistics infrastructure and commercial hubs, seeking to raise the economic cost of the war for Moscow and increase pressure on the Kremlin.

For Ukrainian defense leaders, however, success will still depend heavily on continued Western military assistance. "We definitely are not the victim anymore in a psychological way, but still we need support and we cannot fight by ourselves," Terekh said.