Ukraine enters winter better prepared than last year, PM says, but risks remain

Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi struck an optimistic note in a Sept. 27 interview on the national United News telethon, saying Ukraine is entering this winter better prepared than last year.

Koretskyi credited resilience planning and work by military administrations, local authorities, state companies, and ministries.

"More critical facilities now have additional backup power, important infrastructure elements have greater protection, and we have accumulated more reserve equipment and spare parts while increasing the number of repair crews and machinery," he said.

Koretskyi also warned that at the same time, Russia has strengthened its own capabilities by stockpiling jet-powered drones and missiles.

Ukraine still faces major vulnerabilities, including unrepaired energy infrastructure, pressure on air defense stocks, budget constraints, and Russia’s expanding use of faster drones.

As the Kyiv Independent previously reported, Ukraine has struggled to fully finance its 5.4 billion euro ($6.2 billion) energy resilience plan. The government has allocated some state funding for initial projects, but officials have continued seeking significant support from international partners to cover the broader program.

Earlier this month, the Kyiv Independent reported that Ukraine had yet to fully repair damage from last winter's Russian attacks, while shortages of air defense interceptors and continued pressure on the power grid remained major concerns. In July, President Volodymyr Zelensky also urged the energy sector to accelerate preparations, saying resilience efforts were lagging behind.

Ukraine has also been trying to strengthen its defenses ahead of winter. Britain announced a 100 million pound ($135 million) air defense package earlier this month that includes interceptors and drones intended to help Ukraine withstand renewed Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

Ukraine has still not completed all repairs to energy infrastructure damaged in last winter’s Russian attacks, leaving the country vulnerable even as officials say winter preparedness has improved.