As Kyiv prepares for the approaching winter amid ongoing conflict, residents are adopting a range of strategies to cope with the challenges posed by power outages, supply uncertainties, and the threat of Russian missile strikes. Despite the disruption, many locals are determined to maintain a sense of normalcy and resilience.

Market stalls operate alongside bomb-damaged buildings, where vendors offer goods such as pork lard, home-distilled horilka, and fresh flowers, reflecting a mix of pragmatism and fatalism. One seller remarked that coping will depend on whatever circumstances arise, while an accountant passing through expressed cautious optimism, citing a strong harvest from her garden and the rapid replenishment of shortages in local shops despite Russian propaganda suggesting worse food scarcity.

For others, past experiences with conflict have fostered a degree of preparedness. Viktor, a delivery driver who relocated from Donetsk’s Kramatorsk, has grown accustomed to cold weather and intermittent dangers. Meanwhile, Ivan Onyshchenko has invested in a balcony-mounted generator described as relatively quiet to mitigate the impact of power cuts, which remain a significant concern.

Among those taking extensive precautions is a resident identified as Shuvalova, who lives on the 14th floor and is expecting a child with her husband, a member of the Ukrainian military. Unlike last winter, when the couple coped by using candles and laptop lights during long outages, they have acquired an energy storage system capable of powering appliances for over a day. Purchased at a discounted price during summer, this unit complements a collection of smaller power banks and an emergency supply that includes bottled water, dried grains, canned meat, camping equipment, and dry wash packs.

Shuvalova and her neighbors are also exploring collective efforts to manage their building, including providing generator power for an elevator and creating sanitary facilities in the underground parking area, which functions as a bomb shelter. Antenatal classes have emphasized breastfeeding, acknowledging the difficulties of safely preparing infant formula during winter conditions.

Despite the unpredictable situation, Shuvalova expressed resolve: the decision to have a baby in Kyiv was one they could no longer postpone, and though the circumstances are difficult, the pregnancy has brought meaning and calm.

Overall, Kyiv residents’ attitudes toward the coming winter vary widely—from fatalism to meticulous planning—but all face the prospect of enduring severe hardship. The uncertainty is palpable, yet as one local illustrator observed, maintaining hope remains crucial: “Nothing will stop spring. Spring will definitely come.”