Ukraine is preparing for a crisis winter: Budanov instructed to develop a plan to respond to possible threats

Ukraine has begun preparing a comprehensive response plan for possible crisis situations in the winter of 2026–2027. The main focus will be on protecting civilian infrastructure, assessing the consequences of Russian shelling, and providing the most vulnerable regions with the necessary resources.

This was announced by the Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, Kyrylo Budanov, following a meeting of the Coordination Platform for Humanitarian Response.

Ukraine is preparing scenarios for winter crises

A meeting of the Coordination Platform for Humanitarian Response was held on the instructions of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky.

It was attended by Prime Minister Serhiy Koretsky, Secretary of the National Security and Defense Council, Ihor Klymenko, representatives of the Office of the President, state institutions, the diplomatic corps, and international partners.

The main task was to form operational response plans for possible emergencies in the period from November 2026 to March 2027.

In particular, the government, together with the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, should develop basic scenarios of possible crises, taking into account their scale and geography.

The defense forces and intelligence agencies should provide an assessment of potential risks.

Budanov named the main threat to Ukrainians in winter

According to the head of the President’s Office, the greatest danger is systematic Russian attacks on civilian and critical infrastructure of large Ukrainian cities.

Such attacks can cause power outages and other emergencies that will require a prompt response from state services.

Budanov emphasized the need to identify in advance the regions that may suffer the most and provide them with appropriate resources.

“The available resources should be concentrated where people will find it most difficult,” he noted.

Who will be responsible for responding to emergencies

Preparation for the winter period involves coordination between central and local authorities, relevant ministries, the State Emergency Service, the Defense Forces, international partners and humanitarian organizations.

The main task is to ensure a rapid response to possible crisis situations and minimize their consequences for the population.

New power outages have already occurred in four regions

Amid preparations for the winter period, Russia continues to attack Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

In particular, on October 13, shelling resulted in new power outages in Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Donetsk and Zaporizhia regions.

A number of regions have also introduced hourly power outage schedules of up to two shifts.

Earlier, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky drew attention to the insufficient pace of implementation of Kyiv’s resilience plan. According to him, the capital lags behind even some border and frontline regions in terms of preparation.

The state is currently working to strengthen the protection of critical infrastructure and prepare mechanisms for responding to possible emergencies during the winter months.