Olena Konoplia, a resident of Kyiv, has decided to abandon her city home for a quiet cottage in the Ukrainian countryside. Her choice comes amid a surge in Russian attacks on the city and the looming threat of a harsh winter with no reliable electricity or heating.

Russia’s targeting of Ukraine’s power grid has left many civilians without power, making the forthcoming sub‑zero temperatures a looming crisis. The lack of heating and the risk of blackouts have pushed people like Olena to seek refuge further from the front lines.

After weeks of searching, Olena finally settled on a cottage in a small rural community just over two hours from Kyiv. She explains that the village’s lack of factories, warehouses and railway stations makes it a safer refuge.

Olena’s move underscores how ordinary citizens are forced into difficult decisions as the conflict drags into the coldest season of the year, and it highlights the urgent need for humanitarian support and infrastructure protection across Ukraine.