Electricians from DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, inspect damaged equipment on an electricity pylon following Russian air strikes in Kyiv Oblast, Ukraine, on Jan. 14, 2026. (Dan Bashakov / Global Images Ukraine / Getty Images)As Russian drones and missiles continue to pound Ukraine's war-damaged energy infrastructure, Kyiv is struggling to find funding for a 5.4 billion euro ($6.2 billion) "energy resilience plan" first announced in spring.The next few months are a race against time to prepare for what energy experts warn will be another difficult winter under constant Russian bombardment. Ukraine not only needs to repair equipment after Russia wiped out nine gigawatts of power generation last winter, but also develop backup power and water supplies and build protective fortifications around critical sites.The Ukrainian government's answer to keeping the lights and heating on is a multi-year "energy resilience plan" implemented by local authorities nationwide. The goal is to ensure communities are prepared when Russia resumes large-scale attacks on the energy system, rather than scrambling for new equipment under fire.But the government has run into a major snag: funding, four people involved in Ukraine's energy sector told the Kyiv Independent. While financing talks are ongoing with international partners, including the EU, Ukraine’s government is currently the one footing the bill as the energy sector works against the clock to prepare for winter.