Five Weeks of Continuous Support During the Energy Crisis: How the Ukrainian Red Cross Is Responding
For five weeks since the energy crisis intensified, the Ukrainian Red Cross has been providing continuous humanitarian support to residents of Kyiv and communities across Ukraine, helping people stay warm, access hot meals, basic necessities, and critical services.
“Since early January 2026, the organisation has been supporting over 100 heating points set up by the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Kyiv, while also operating its own heating points. Here, people can warm up, receive hot meals and drinking water, and charge their devices. Over this period, more than 250,000 people have received assistance,” says Maksym Dotsenko, Director General of the Ukrainian Red Cross.
At the same time, the Ukrainian Red Cross is supporting school-based heating points across the capital. To assist residents, the organisation has distributed over 15,260 blankets, 5,040 sleeping kits, 1,380 sets of bed linen, 5,940 hygiene kits, as well as heat guns and hot meals. Volunteers and staff also provide psychosocial support to those in need.
The organisation is additionally supporting 40 field kitchens operated by the State Emergency Service, supplying food and delivering thousands of portions of hot meals and drinks. Volunteers also deliver food directly to the heating points and provide targeted assistance to people with limited mobility or those unable to reach the facilities independently.
Another key focus is strengthening energy resilience for communities. The Ukrainian Red Cross is distributing 560 generators across the country, with a total capacity of 9.16 MW, to support critical infrastructure, Points of Invincibility (Resilience Centres), and social care facilities. This ensures essential services continue to operate even during prolonged power outages. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, the Ukrainian Red Cross has already delivered over 15,000 generators to support hospitals, schools, and kindergartens.
International partners have played a vital role in these efforts. Of the 560 generators, 447 were provided from the European Union’s strategic #rescEU reserves under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, intended to support communities most affected by attacks on energy infrastructure. In addition, the German Red Cross and Belgian Red Cross contributed 34 high-capacity generators.
The Ukrainian Red Cross continues to coordinate with state authorities and international partners to respond quickly to community needs.
The organisation expresses its gratitude to all donors and partners within the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, the U.S. Department of State, and the European Union for their support and solidarity with Ukraine.
Together, we help those who need it most.
Together, we are stronger.
