EU, Poland send hundreds of generators to restore Ukraine’s power First generators reach Kyiv / Photo

The European Commission has announced the dispatch of 447 backup generators worth €3.7 million from the EU’s strategic reserves to help restore electricity to hospitals, shelters, and critical services in Ukraine.

The generators, sourced from rescEU reserves in Poland, will be distributed by Ukraine’s Ministry of Communities and Territories Development in partnership with the Ukrainian Red Cross, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Priority will be given to communities most affected by power outages.

EU Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management, Hadja Lahbib, said Russia’s repeated attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure aim to cut heat, power, and essential services during winter and undermine morale, but Europe is responding with action, sending a new batch of generators to add to the more than 9,500 already delivered.

"As winter deepens, Russian attacks are cutting Ukrainians off from heat, water & electricity. 🇪🇺 is sending 447 additional generators from the rescEU reserve in Poland - part of nearly 10,000 delivered so far - to restore essential services and help civilians," she stated on X.

Перші генератори зi збірки «Тепло з Польщі» уже вантажаться для транспортування в Київ.

Дякуємо кожній польці та кожному поляку за кожен злотий. ❤️#CieploZPolski #CieploZPolskiDlaKijowa pic.twitter.com/O3sjgMN0YH

— Ukraine in Poland (@UKRinPL) January 23, 2026

The Ukrainian Embassy in Poland shared photos of the first generators purchased through the “Warmth from Poland” public fundraising campaign, which collected 5 million zlotys (around $1.3 million). These generators are scheduled to be sent to Kyiv to aid in the restoration of electricity. The embassy thanked Polish citizens for their contributions: “The first generators from the ‘Warmth from Poland’ campaign are already being loaded for transport to Kyiv. Thanks to every Pole for every zloty.”

The campaign was launched to support Ukraine amid the energy crisis caused by Russian strikes on power and heating infrastructure. Originally, organisers aimed to fund 100 generators and charging stations, but public support quickly exceeded expectations.

Following a decision by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, an additional 379 generators and 18 heaters will be sent to Ukraine in the coming days. These are funded by the European Union and will be provided by the State Agency for Strategic Reserves of Poland.

According to the Polish Ministry of Interior and Administration, shipments will begin on Friday from warehouses in Łęsmierg, located in the Łódź region. The delivery is part of Poland’s rapid response to the humanitarian crisis created by Russia’s attacks, which have left almost 60% of Kyiv without electricity and thousands of households without heating during severe winter conditions.

Poland is coordinating further shipments of 447 generators, with Warsaw contributing 90 units. Transport will be provided by the State Fire Service. Ten trucks are scheduled to depart from Kamienica Królewska near Gdańsk on Monday, followed by five more on Tuesday. A final convoy is planned for Wednesday next week from Lesowice near Wrocław.

Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, is enduring its worst winter energy crisis since Russia’s full-scale invasion nearly four years ago. A major Russian attack on January 9 severely damaged the power grid, leaving residents with prolonged blackouts amid freezing temperatures.

Nighttime lows have dropped to around −20 °C, with electricity and heating still intermittent across the city. Residents say the outages are taking a heavy emotional toll.

By Aghakazim Guliyev