Independent Thinking What does Ukraine need to get through the winter?
9 snips
Nov 14, 2025 
Andriy Zagorodnyuk, former Ukraine Defence Minister, provides insight into military strategy and the urgent need for Western support. Daryna Marchak, Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Economy, reveals the surprising GDP recovery and challenges of energy attacks. Simon Smith, Chair of Chatham House's Ukraine Forum, critiques the cautious Western aid approach and emphasizes the necessity of a multi-year support plan. Together, they discuss the harsh impacts of Russian strikes on civilians and the imperative for timely weapons and energy supplies to survive the winter.
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Energy Attacks Target Civilian Resilience
- Russian strikes on energy aim to degrade civilian resilience and force displacement before winter.
- Extended blackouts can permanently damage infrastructure and produce severe humanitarian and democratic effects.
Secure Energy And Backup Power
- Ukraine must import gas and secure financing to cover lost domestic production capacity immediately.
- Support SMEs with independent energy solutions like generators to sustain business during blackouts.
Rapid Drone-Led Warfare
- The battlefield is rapidly evolving with dominance of unmanned and remote systems and fast innovation cycles.
- Ukraine leads in many tactical unmanned classes but faces intense industrial and targeting pressure from Russia.