'Winter is coming': Ukraine fears its toughest test since Russia's full-scale invasion

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in the US ahead of talks with President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C, United States on July 28, 2026.Anadolu | Anadolu | Getty ImagesUkrainian officials, drone executives and national security experts are bracing for another extremely difficult winter, fearing that a Russian assault on energy infrastructure could pose the toughest challenge of the war yet.From as early as April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has emphasized the importance of ensuring that the country's energy and infrastructure facilities are fully operational and reliably protected for the next heating season.Just last month, in the peak of the Ukrainian summer, Zelenskyy confirmed Sergii Koretskyi as Ukraine's new prime minister and said the former CEO of state-owned gas company Naftogaz would help to protect lives "and ensure that we make it through the winter." His comments come as Ukraine's enhanced drone capabilities have sought to raise the cost of the war for Russia and test President Vladimir Putin's resolve after four-and-a-half years of conflict. Russian forces have increased the number of missile strikes on Ukrainian cities in recent weeks, lik...