How Ukrainians are surviving a total blackout because of Russian attacks
In movies where all the benefits of civilization have disappeared, everyone is driven by their own selfishness. In reality, it's the opposite: people stick together.
Russia dealt another blow to Ukraine's energy sector on December 27, just before the New Year. At that time, residents of the city of Vyshhorod in the Kyiv region were left without electricity for almost 100 hours. Olena, a resident of Vyshhorod, told Texty.org.ua about what it's like to live in winter without electricity, water, or heating.
"There was no sense of collapse," says Olena, who lives in Vyshhorod with her husband and son.
"Pharmacies and grocery shops were open, and there was communication. We understood that we were left without light, without energy, but it was temporary. We had already experienced this in 2022 and knew that the power engineers were working and that they would restore everything".
There were many dissatisfied people in the city
The woman expected that there would be no electricity for a week and even thought that she would have to celebrate New Year's Eve in the dark. The townspeople did not feel a lack of information. The necessary information appeared in the group chat of the residents of the buildings. They wrote it there themselves. In addition, the deputy mayor, who was once a deputy from their district, constantly reported on what was happening. However, there were many dissatisfied people in the city.
Generator, water tanks, and a charging station
Olena says that preparations for a blackout in the city began as early as 2022. After the shelling of energy facilities, residents of each of the four high-rise buildings in their residential complex began collecting money for generators. The buildings that purchased powerful devices became virtually autonomous. Elevators worked, and there was water and heating.
Only 40 percent of residents contributed funds
"Our building raised the least amount of money — about 200,000 hryvnia (around 4 thousand euro). We only have two entrances, so there are fewer people. Only 40 percent of residents contributed funds. We were able to buy the simplest generator, which was only powerful enough to maintain the heat supply. On top of that, it turned out to be of poor quality and constantly broke down," recalls Olena.
Shortly before the shelling, in December 2025, the generator broke down again. During the blackout, the building was left without electricity, water, or heating. Although the heating is centralized, the pumps at the individual heating station do not work without electricity.
Back in 2022, Olena bought two large plastic water tanks, one with a capacity of 10 liters and the other with a capacity of 20 liters. She installed one in the bathroom and the other in the kitchen. The tanks are connected to taps so that you can wash your hands and dishes. She cooked food and heated water on a portable gas stove. Gas canisters for it are sold in any hardware store.
The residential building is well insulated, so it did not get too cold during the blackout. The temperature in Olena's apartment was around 20 degrees Celsius. However, the temperature in her friends' apartments dropped to 14 degrees Celsius.
According to Olena, there were no problems with mobile communication and the Internet. Some providers brought generators to the houses to charge the power supplies for their equipment. Some connected to the house generators.
I only used the charging station for the refrigerator because there is a lot of fruit in the freezer
"I didn't use the internet from providers during those days. I had a normal mobile Internet," Olena clarifies.
A powerful charging station, also purchased in advance, was a great help to the family. Its operating time depends on the number of devices connected.
"I only used the charging station for the refrigerator because there is a lot of fruit in the freezer, and it would be a shame to throw it away if it spoiled," she says.
The power station had to be taken for charging twice. This required considerable effort. At nine in the evening, when the husband was returning from work, the 25-kilogram unit and its accessories were carried down from the 11th floor. Then it was transported by car to the point of resilience, where it was charged for one and a half to two hours. After that, everything was carried back up to the 11th floor.
These powerful devices could be charged at three locations: near the Cathedral of the Vyshhorod Mother of God, at the city hospital, and at the district administration office. Large diesel generators were installed there. However, even their capacity was insufficient for everyone, and people had to wait in line for an hour or an hour and a half.
Simpler devices, such as power banks or phones, could be charged at any point of invincibility. They were set up in public institutions: schools, kindergartens, institutions, and even in stores. Near houses with no schools or hospitals, rescuers set up a temporary point of invincibility. There were two such facilities on the territory of Olena's residential complex: one from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine and one from the Red Cross Society.
The State Emergency Service did an excellent job, according to Olena. They were the first to set up tents in the city where people could get hot water and charge their gadgets.
A cartoon screening was organized for the children
"There is also a powerful emergency response team from the Red Cross Society in Vyshhorod. They always quickly set up generators and deliver hot food and water. They organized cartoon screenings for children, gave them coloring books, and so on," says Olena.
There was also a point of invulnerability in the modular concrete shelter on the territory of the Cathedral of the Vyshhorod Mother of God of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church.
"Many pensioners came to the resilience centers just to socialize," recalls Olena.
Neighbors banded together and helped each other. For example, Olena and other residents helped an 80-year-old man who, due to problems with his legs, could not go downstairs without an elevator.
Neighbors with two small children were forced to move to a hotel
'We brought him bread and food. They carried water bottles up to the 11th floor," says Olena.
But other neighbors with two small children were forced to move to a hotel in Kyiv because they needed to bathe their children, wash their clothes, and prepare food.
The group chat
On the third day of the blackout, the State Emergency Service brought powerful generators to residential complexes.
"Approximately six thousand people live in our two neighboring residential complexes. All night and all morning, they were connected to these backup generators so that we could have light for at least a few hours," the woman recalls.
However, even these generators proved insufficient for such a large number of apartments. High-rise buildings were turned on in turns. Group chats were used to announce when and where electricity would be available. A kind of schedule was created.
"We have very cool initiative groups in our residential complex. They helped the energy companies connect everything. And thanks to them, we learned about everything," says Olena.
Of course, there was no mention of boilers or electric stoves.
If someone starts the washing machine, it would simply knock everyone off the power grid
"The apartment was allocated up to 1 kW. We could only turn on the refrigerator, TV, and charge our gadgets. People reported in building chats that they weren't turning on anything powerful. Everyone understood that if someone started the washing machine, it would simply knock everyone off the power grid," says Olena.
Residents chipped in for more powerful generators
On the third day of the blackout, the house generator, which had broken down before the arrival, was repaired. Olena's house was warm again. And the next day, December 31, a new transformer was connected in Vyshhorod, and most of the city had electricity.
Although the residents of Olena's building repaired their generator, they decided to buy a more powerful one. The blackout significantly accelerated the fundraising process. 80% of the apartments have already contributed.
Olena is confident that it is easier to get through such trials when people unite.
"Many people write that it is difficult to unite, that some people do not want to contribute money. But if we keep talking about it, people will understand sooner or later. We have a neighbor who categorically never contributes to anything. But even he contributed money for the generator,» explains Olena.
The woman says that those who prepared in advance found it easier to cope with the blackout. In a country at war, in a city with a power facility nearby, you have to be prepared for the worst-case scenarios.
