Ukraine faces 'toughest winter' since Russia's full-scale invasion, UN official tells BBC
A UN official has warned that Ukraine faces its most difficult winter since the 2022 invasion due to systematic Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. Both nations continue to engage in intense aerial drone warfare, complicating humanitarian efforts to maintain power and water supplies.
Why it matters
The destruction of critical infrastructure threatens a humanitarian catastrophe for millions of Ukrainian civilians as temperatures drop.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Efforts are under way to repair Ukraine's power network so people can run heaters and access water during winter
Ukraine is facing its "toughest winter" since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022, a top United Nations official told the BBC.
Alexander De Croo, head of the UN development agency, said there was a risk of "humanitarian catastrophe" if Russian attacks cut off access to power and water.
Speaking in Ukraine, De Croo – the UN's third most senior official – accused Russia of systematically targeting the country's energy infrastructure. He said there was now a "race against the clock" to repair the power network before winter sets in and temperatures plummet.
Russia and Ukraine have been intensifying aerial attacks in recent months, and both deny deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure.
Russia's new jet-powered drones outpacing Ukraine's air defences with daily launches
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