Sisyphean Repairs: Ukrainian Crews Race to Restore Power After Intensified Russian Strikes

Repeated strikes leave crews racing to restore electricity

At a Ukrainian power plant repeatedly hit by Russian missiles and drones, repair crews described a sense of déjà vu as they scrambled to restore electricity after the latest attack. AFP visited the DTEK-operated facility — whose location was withheld for security reasons — to see how workers patch damaged infrastructure while new strikes continue to threaten their efforts.

After the recent barrage, smoke still rose from a massive generator inside a blackened metal structure that was once the plant's heart. Large sandbags protect critical equipment; some are pocked with shrapnel. From the debris, an employee pulled a carbon panel stamped with Cyrillic letters — a fragment from a drone.

A familiar, exhausting rhythm

"Sisyphus was punished for his sins. For us it's a bit different," said Oleksandr, the plant's 53‑year‑old production manager, invoking the myth of the man condemned to roll a boulder uphill only to watch it fall back.

As Oleksandr supervised another round of cleanup and repairs, he added, "I will continue to push this rock to the top of the mountain." He said the team feels "frustration" and "anger" after every strike, but they nevertheless "roll up our sleeves" and return to work.

Security, morale and human cost

Staff are placed on high alert whenever authorities report Russian aircraft in the area. "It's impossible not to be afraid," Oleksandr admitted, but he said workers support each other and remain committed to their mission. During the most recent attack the team were able to contain a fire and limit damage; employees who sheltered in a workshop emerged unharmed.

Not every damaged area is repaired immediately. In the plant's offices, collapsed walls and a shattered Soviet-era mosaic lie across the floor. Vasyl, a 58‑year‑old duty supervisor, recalled a piece falling on his head: "But I'm still alive." His 25‑year‑old son has been serving in the army since the full-scale invasion began in February 2022; for Vasyl, repairing the plant is his own "front line."

Wider context: targeted infrastructure and winter pressures

Russia has targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure relentlessly since February 2022. The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for senior Russian military officers over the alleged war crime of causing excessive civilian harm by striking the energy grid. Kyiv and Western partners say the strikes aim to sap civilian morale by plunging millions into cold and darkness as temperatures fall.

Oleksandr described the latest strike on this facility as "the most severe in the past four years" among dozens of hits the station has suffered. Repairing the damage requires money and materials as well as determination, and Ukraine relies heavily on support from European partners to fund restorations. With winter approaching, crews are racing to keep power flowing through the fifth winter of conflict.

"We dream of the war ending," Oleksandr said. "For now, the closest challenge is winter. We will not give up. We will work and restore."

Note: AFP agreed not to disclose the plant's location, and DTEK selected the employees who spoke during the visit.