Kyiv faces 20-hour blackouts as Russian strikes cripple Ukraine's power grid

For millions of Ukrainians, the fight to survive Russia's war is increasingly being fought inside their own homes, in darkness and freezing cold.In Kyiv, where Russian strikes have pushed the power supply close to critical, families are racing against the clock to cook meals, finish homework and charge their phones before the next blackout.According to a BBC report, some households in Kyiv are facing power cuts lasting up to 20 hours, with electricity available for just four to five hours a day in some areas. The outages have disrupted heating, water supplies and public transport, leaving residents struggling as temperatures continue to fall.For Daryna Kulchytska, a single mother living in a seventh-floor apartment in Kyiv, every evening has become a race against the next blackout."There is no light, no water, no heat, no electricity. And no fun. All the fun got sucked out with the electricity," her 12-year-old son Kyryll told the BBC.The family often turns to torches, LED candles and board games when the power goes out. But even these offer little comfort to children who have already played the same games countless times.The crisis extends far beyond individual households. Kyiv has been among the worst-hit areas, with electricity shortages disrupting metro services and bringing trolleybuses to a standstill at times.Across Ukraine, hundreds of thousands of people have been left without power in recent weeks as Russian attacks continue to damage energy facilities. The current round of scheduled outages began earlier than last winter and has lasted longer, raising concerns about the country's ability to maintain essential services as temperatures drop.The BBC reported that Ukrainian officials are concerned that life could become unsustainable for millions if electricity supplies cannot be maintained for at least four hours a day. Some families in Kyiv are already experiencing outages of up to 20 hours, forcing residents to adjust their daily routines around unpredictable electricity schedules.Russia has intensified its campaign against Ukraine's energy infrastructure since August, targeting power stations and critical electricity facilities ahead of winter.The BBC reported that a ballistic missile strike on one of Ukraine's largest power stations left it completely offline, with turbines buried under rubble and machinery reduced to twisted metal.The attacks have also made restoration work increasingly difficult, with repair teams repeatedly forced to seek shelter during air raid alerts. Russia has also been using so-called "waiter drones" that attach themselves to electricity pylons and cables before detonating.