In the second episode of Beans on Borscht, we talk about what happens after an attack – when the noise fades, and the power disappears.
Picking up from our previous conversation about drones, this episode looks at the consequences of strikes on civilian infrastructure. Blackouts in Ukraine are not accidental outages or short-term disruptions. Since late 2022, energy systems have been deliberately targeted, often during the coldest months, turning electricity, heat, and water into weapons.
Hanna explains what these blackouts actually involve, when they began, and how they affect different parts of the country. From Kyiv to Odesa, entire cities have been left without power for days at a time, reshaping everyday life in ways that are both practical and psychological. We discuss why this strategy is used, what it’s meant to achieve, and how it has contributed to civilian displacement and exhaustion.
The episode also focuses on daily survival under blackout conditions: generators on nearly every street, rapidly shifting outage schedules, silent intersections where traffic lights no longer work, and the small details that suddenly matter when power and water can’t be relied on.
We also touch on the risks faced by civilian workers trying to keep the grid functioning, often under direct threat, and the quiet resilience required to live in cities where darkness is planned, not accidental.
This episode is about loss, adaptation, and endurance. It’s a reminder that infrastructure is inseparable from human life – and when it’s intentionally destroyed, the effects extend far beyond the grid.
Next episode, we’ll be shifting focus to the language of war; how it’s used, how it’s weaponised, and why words can matter just as much as missiles, money, and megawatts.
News sources mentioned in the episode
Democracy Now!
“Ukraine Faces a ‘Cold, Dark Winter’ as Russia Strikes Energy Infrastructure”
https://www.democracynow.org/2024/12/31/ukraine_russia_biden_aid
Democracy Now!
Headline archive: Extended blackouts after Russian attacks on power grid
https://www.democracynow.org/2022/10/28/headlines/ukraines_president_warns_of_extended_blackouts_after_russian_attacks_on_power_grid
Democracy Now!
Jacobin
“Climate Crisis and the War in Ukraine”
https://jacobin.com/2025/03/climate-crisis-war-ukraine-russia/
Jacobin
“Ukraine Faces an Unbearable Choice”
https://jacobin.com/2025/11/ukraine-russia-war-putin-zelensky
Jacobin
openDemocracy
“In Kyiv and Kharkiv, trade unions are fighting for Ukraine’s future”
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/from-frontlines-to-coal-mines-trade-unions-are-fighting-for-ukraines-future/
openDemocracy
“Ukrainian energy prices could soar as Zelenskyy mulls cut to subsidy”
https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/odr/ukraine-energy-price-subsidy-war/
openDemocracy
Al Jazeera (English)
“Russian attacks cut power for thousands in Ukraine as peace talks press on”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/13/russian-attacks-cut-power-for-thousands-in-ukraine-as-peace-talks-press-on
Al Jazeera
“Millions endure power cuts in Ukraine as Russia strikes more energy sites”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/11/10/millions-endure-power-cuts-in-ukraine-as-russia-strikes-more-energy-sites
Al Jazeera
“Russian strikes trigger Ukraine power cuts”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/23/russian-strikes-trigger-ukraine-power-cuts-prompt-poland-to-scramble-jets
Al Jazeera
Reuters
“Musk ordered shutdown of Starlink satellite service as Ukraine retook territory from Russia” https://www.reuters.com/investigations/musk-ordered-shutdown-starlink-satellite-service-ukraine-retook-territory-russia-2025-07-25/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
