UWC launches emergency fundraiser as Ukraine endures extreme cold amid relentless Russian assaults

As Russia intensifies its assault on Ukraine’s energy grid and temperatures plunge to life‑threatening lows, the Ukrainian World Congress (UWC) has launched an emergency fundraising drive to help Ukrainians survive one of the harshest winters of the war.

Heeding a call from Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the UWC is rallying Ukrainian communities and friends worldwide to act without delay. Energy facilities across the country are under constant attack, leaving millions in the dark and cold. The need for immediate assistance has never been greater.

Entire cities have been stripped of heat and light. Homes, hospitals, schools, and kindergartens now face freezing darkness as Russia deliberately targets civilian energy infrastructure. For countless families, the question is no longer about comfort, it is about survival.

The scale of destruction continues to grow. On January 20, Russian forces launched another massive wave of missile and drone strikes, hitting dozens of cities and towns in at least seven regions, including Kyiv and its surroundings. In the capital alone, Mayor Vitalii Klitschko reports that more than 5,600 apartment buildings are without heat or electricity. Across the country, exhausted energy workers labor around the clock , often under renewed attack, to bring power back to their communities.

To respond swiftly, the UWC has set up a dedicated emergency account and is calling on everyone who stands with Ukraine to contribute now.

This appeal builds on the UWC’s ‘Energize Ukraine’ initiative, launched at the onset of Russia’s full-scale invasion to strengthen the country’s energy resilience. The campaign has already united donors and energy partners worldwide, but today the circumstances are even more dire,  and the response must match the urgency.

Every contribution matters. Every donation, no matter the size, delivers critical relief: heat for families, light for hospitals, power for communities. Your support can save lives in Ukraine’s darkest and coldest hours.

Instructions on how to donate can be found through the following link.