The upcoming heating season of 2026–2027 in Ukraine is expected to be no less difficult than the previous one, due to a significant intensification of Russian aggression attacks on civilian infrastructure. This was stated by Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky during the educational conference "Serpen 2026," held in Kyiv on August 18, 2026. The head of the Cabinet of Ministers emphasized that, despite the resilience with which the country endured last winter, the current situation requires even more extensive preparation and resource mobilization.
Strategy of "Underground Education" and Child Protection
A key element of winter preparation remains ensuring the safety of children. As part of the implementation of the "underground education" strategy, the country continues the active construction of underground schools. According to the Prime Minister, 96 such facilities were commissioned in 2025. It is planned that by the end of 2026, around 200 underground educational institutions will be operating in Ukraine. This will guarantee the continuity of the educational process even in the event of massive missile strikes and prolonged power outages.
Special attention is also being paid to preschool education. For the first time in the history of independent Ukraine, 1 billion hryvnias has been allocated for the construction of shelters in kindergartens. Koretsky noted that the construction of shelters for schoolchildren continues in the regions to minimize risks to children's lives in the event of shelling.
Energy Autonomy and Reserve Capacities
Parallel to the physical protection of educational institutions, Ukraine is implementing a large-scale program to ensure their energy autonomy. To date, about 19,500 kindergartens and schools have been equipped with generators, solar panels, and energy storage systems. This allows institutions to function autonomously for several hours or even days in the absence of centralized power supply.
This year, another 220 educational institutions will receive additional equipment to operate during prolonged power outages. According to the Prime Minister, air raids, shelling, and lack of electricity should not prevent children from continuing their education. Regions and state enterprises are taking measures to prepare as much as possible for the heating season, implementing "resilience" plans.
Threat of a New Wave of Attacks and Drone Technologies
The situation with energy remains critical. Vadym Skibitsky, Deputy Head of the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, previously confirmed that in autumn and winter, Russian occupiers plan active strikes against energy infrastructure. In particular, it became known that the Russian military is developing specialized drones designed to strike power lines. This indicates an evolution of the enemy's tactics, which aims to disrupt the power system with both targeted and massive attacks simultaneously.
Contradictory Data
While official government statements demonstrate confidence in preparation plans, there are discrepancies in the assessment of financial needs. While Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky speaks of implementing plans and allocating funds for shelters, sources such as Focus.ua cite data that Ukraine is still short 650 million euros for full energy preparation for winter. This creates a dissonance between optimistic statements about readiness and real financial deficits that could affect the pace of infrastructure restoration and modernization.
