As the fourth winter of the full-scale invasion continues to test the resilience of the Ukrainian people, the city of Kramatorsk and its surrounding villages have faced some of their darkest days. Recent systematic attacks on energy infrastructure have left thousands without electricity, water, or heat. In many homes, the lights have been out for over nine days, turning the basic act of staying warm into a battle for survival.
Kramatorsk, Ukraine — March 12, 2026
Survival on the Front Lines a story on Firewood
In the village of Malotaranovka and the city of Kramatorsk, the situation reached a breaking point this February. Without power, residents cannot cook or heat their homes. “People have nothing to heat, nothing to cook on, nothing anywhere,” shared one local resident.
To meet this crisis, a dedicated team of volunteers, supported by the Star of Hope mission, recently delivered truckloads of firewood to the region’s most vulnerable—families with children and the elderly.
Watch the video above to see the impact of your support in Kramatorsk.
More Than Just Fuel
The firewood provided by onors is doing more than just heating homes. It is also fueling a local church bakery that has become a cornerstone of the community. By using wood-burning stoves, volunteers distribute fresh loaves to those who have lost everything.
A Connection Across Borders
For the people of eastern Ukraine, this aid is a “miracle” that has traveled thousands of kilometers. The warmth provided by the Swedish people offers both physical heat and the comfort of knowing they are not forgotten.
Living on the Edge: Life in Kramatorsk
If you look at a map of Ukraine, Kramatorsk is the final major urban stronghold in the Donbas. It’s a city that should be a ghost town, but somehow, it’s still breathing. After following the situation there this February, the “normalcy” of the place is what feels the most surreal. It’s a study in grit that most of us sitting in a library can’t even wrap our heads around.
The Soundtrack of the Front
In Kramatorsk, silence doesn’t really exist. The background noise is a constant mix of outgoing artillery and the hum of diesel generators. Since the power grid is a primary target, electricity is a luxury. Most days, the lights are off for 18 hours or more.
Local Telegram channels are the lifeline here. They aren’t for memes; they’re for survival. One ping means a ballistic missile launch; another means FPV drones are in the area. You’ll see people grabbing a latte at a sidewalk café while soldiers in mud-caked boots walk by. It’s a jarring contrast of “Third Wave” coffee culture right next to the machinery of war.
The Survival Grind
When temperatures hit -15°C, the lack of power is a life-or-death struggle. Groups like Star of Hope have been a literal lifesaver, hauling firewood into the city for the elderly who have lived in the same apartment for fifty years and families with little kids. For them, a stack of wood is the only thing keeping the frost out of their living rooms.
In the village, wartime turned ordinary farmers into survivors. When the fighting moved in, neighbors relied on midwestern-style grit, moving their lives into root cellars to stay safe from shelling. By bartering eggs for coal and sharing news over back fences, the community proved that looking out for one another is the strongest defense against any hardship.
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