A winter blackout is not “just news”

Being at home without heating is almost like being in the street

Kiev has faced renewed strikes on energy infrastructure, leaving many people dealing with power and heating disruptions during winter.
When heat and electricity go down, everyday life quickly becomes a survival problem. This is especially true for families, older people, and anyone stuck in high-rise apartments.

I can relate (a little)

Just a few days ago I was without heating in Milan for 24 hours. Outside it was around 5°C, and I was **freezing**.

I had a roof, I had food, I knew the heat would come back soon… and yet it was miserable.

It was 10 C and yet I felt extremely uncomfortable.

That’s why, when I read about Kyiv being hit again and people dealing with heating and electricity disruptions in winter, it doesn’t feel abstract to me. It’s not “just inconvenience.” It’s your hands going numb, your sleep getting worse, your whole body shrinking into survival mode.

This post is for anyone thinking: “Ok… what can I do that actually helps?”

1) Donate (fastest help)

If you can donate, do it through channels that are clear about where funds go and how they’re used.

Best “simple & official” option

UNITED24 (official fundraising platform of Ukraine)
Donate: https://u24.gov.ua/donate

UNITED24 explains that you can choose a category (Defense, Humanitarian Demining, Medical Aid, Rebuild Ukraine, Education & Science), and that funds go through official National Bank of Ukraine accounts and then to relevant ministries.

Strong option for military support (Ukrainian NGO)

Come Back Alive (savelife.in.ua)
Donate: https://savelife.in.ua
Come Back Alive is a long-running Ukrainian foundation supporting the armed forces with equipment and training.

If you’re in the EU and want vetted humanitarian routes

European Commission: “Help Ukrainians: how you can donate”
Start here: https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-solidarity-ukraine/donate_en
This page points to official donation routes and humanitarian partners and also explains how larger in-kind aid can be channelled through EU coordination.

Quick tip: A small monthly donation to one trusted place is often more helpful than random one-off donations to many places.

2) Help online (without going crazy)

Online support is not just “posting.” It’s keeping reality visible, especially when disinformation tries to drown it out.

Share verified updates and include one clear action link (like UNITED24), instead of reposting shocking content.
If you see obvious propaganda, report it and don’t feed it with endless quote-tweets.

Easy weekly habit: one useful post per week is better than a big emotional storm and then silence.

3) Help in person (local, practical, human)

Not everyone wants to live online, and not everyone can donate. In-person help matters because it supports real people where you are.

Join a local Ukrainian community group / volunteer network and ask what’s needed now (winter items, power banks, medical supplies, transport help).
Support Ukrainians in your city: events, language practice, job connections, paperwork help, childcare swaps—small actions that make life easier and less lonely.
Write to your local representatives and ask them to keep supporting Ukraine (energy resilience + humanitarian support). Keep it short and specific.

Copy/paste donation links

UNITED24: https://u24.gov.ua/donate
Come Back Alive: https://savelife.in.ua
European Commission donation guidance: https://commission.europa.eu/topics/eu-solidarity-ukraine/donate_en

One simple plan (pick one)

Donate once this week (or start a small monthly donation).
Share one trustworthy link plus one clear action.
Do one real-life action this month (one event, one shift, one collection point).

If you found this useful, share it with one person who’s been asking “how can I help?”