With drones hovering overhead, frontline families prepare for a harsh winterAs russian drones strike deeper into civilian areas, movement and humanitarian aid have become increasingly dangerous. Towns once considered safe now hang anti-drone nets across their roads, while families face a winter of blackouts and gas supplies cut by russian attacks.
With backing from the European Union, PIN is providing fuel briquettes and essential aid to help these communities endure the winter ahead.
Hanna, 85, was born in Zakarpattia and moved to Mykhailivka in Donetsk oblast with her husband for work. Today, drones fly daily over her village, which has come under repeated attack.
As in many frontline villages, daily life depends on simple stoves for heating and cooking, usually fuelled by firewood.
Many of those who remain are elderly and rely on support from relatives, the state, or humanitarian organizations to survive the cold months.
Antonina, 59, lives alone in Mykhailivka, Donetsk oblast. Her grandson, who lives in the village, studies online as it’s too dangerous to attend school, though constant power cuts make learning increasingly difficult.
Since her husband passed away in 2022, Antonina has faced each winter on her own.
She worries about her grandson’s education and the danger children face as drones fly daily over the village.
Hryhorii, 58, lives with his wife in Liubitske. They left for Poland when the russian full-scale invasion began but later returned home to rebuild their life.
Dariia, 35, lives in Maryivka with her husband and three children—Ivanka, 10 months, Zakhar, 9, and her eldest daughter, 12. The family bought their house in January 2022, just before the war began.
They were meant to have gas installed, but the war halted the work. Now, with gas supplies cut and forests inaccessible, the family depends on firewood they have to buy.
Dariia, with her children Ivanka and Zakhar, relies on the cattle they raise as their only source of income. The fuel briquettes provided will be enough to keep them warm through the winter.
Valentyna, 59, lives alone in Maryivka, where she keeps cows and pigs and tends her garden.
She prepares for winter on her own, cutting and stacking the firewood she’ll use to heat her home.
Maryna, 58, an internally displaced person from Huliapole, now lives in Barvinivka with her son, daughter, and granddaughter. The village has been without electricity for three days following a russian strike on energy infrastructure.
She hopes to return home one day. Her house was already damaged when she left, but she wishes something will be left to go back to. For now, she won’t have to worry about heating this winter thanks to the fuel briquettes provided by PIN.
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With drones hovering overhead, frontline families prepare for a harsh winter
