Residents of Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city located just 40 kilometers from the Russian border, are warming themselves in outdoor heating tents after repeated Russian attacks on energy infrastructure left homes without heat during brutal winter conditions.
Photos from Gwara Media show Kharkiv residents gathered around communal heating stations set up by municipal authorities, bundled in winter clothing as they seek relief from freezing temperatures in their homes.
The scenes illustrate the daily reality of life in Ukraine's most vulnerable major city, where proximity to Russia makes it a primary target for missile and artillery strikes. Kharkiv has endured nearly three years of intensive bombardment, with energy infrastructure repeatedly targeted in campaigns designed to make the city uninhabitable.
"We have no choice but to adapt," said one Kharkiv resident warming herself at a tent station. "Russia wants us to leave, to abandon our city. But this is our home, and we will not give them that satisfaction."
City authorities have established dozens of warming points across Kharkiv, providing heated spaces where residents can spend hours during power and heating outages. The tents, equipped with generators and heating systems, have become community gathering spaces where neighbors share information, support each other, and maintain social cohesion despite hardships.
The resilience of Kharkiv residents has become emblematic of Ukrainian determination to maintain normal life even in extreme circumstances. Schools continue operating, businesses remain open, and cultural institutions provide programming, all adapted to function around energy disruptions.
In Ukraine, as across nations defending their sovereignty, resilience is not just survival—it's determination to build a better future. Kharkiv residents refuse to allow Russian attacks to destroy their community bonds or force abandonment of their homes.
Kharkiv has been on the front lines since the war's first days, when Russian forces attempted to capture the city in early 2022. Ukrainian defenders repelled the assault, but the city has remained under constant threat, with Russian positions close enough to strike with conventional artillery.
The targeting of heating infrastructure during winter represents a clear violation of international humanitarian law's prohibition on attacks designed to cause civilian suffering. Human rights organizations have documented systematic Russian strikes on energy facilities timed to coincide with cold weather.
Despite the hardships, Kharkiv authorities report that population levels have stabilized after initial evacuations, with many residents who left in 2022 returning home. The city continues reconstruction efforts even as attacks continue, repairing damaged buildings and infrastructure while maintaining defensive preparations.
International humanitarian organizations have provided support including generators, heating equipment, and winterization supplies, but the scale of damage from repeated attacks strains available resources.
