Ukraine’s battered power grid is strained by extreme summer heat, following widespread high temperatures across Europe. Multiple outlets report that the heatwave is increasing electricity demand while the Ukrainian energy system remains heavily damaged from Russia’s ongoing drone and missile attacks since the full-scale invasion in February 2022. The attacks have damaged major parts of the energy network, with estimates cited by the sources putting overall damage in the tens of billions of euros or dollars. As a result, Ukraine experiences frequent power outages, particularly during periods of peak demand in both winter and summer. The grid is struggling to handle surges in electricity use caused by high temperatures, which can require more cooling and increase load on generation and transmission equipment. The sources describe the situation as an escalation of existing vulnerabilities: aging and damaged infrastructure limits Ukraine’s ability to respond to spikes in demand during extreme weather. Officials and analysts cited in the reporting refer to upcoming conditions as particularly challenging as the heat moves through the eastern parts of the country.