Inside the vast turbine hall of a Ukrainian thermal power station, patches of snow lie incongruously amid mangled metal, pools of congealed oil, and shrapnel-pocked walls—a stark reminder of the damage inflicted by a recent Russian air strike.

Engineers work tirelessly under harsh conditions, dwarfed by the enormous machinery they are striving to repair or salvage. The facility, struck as part of Russia’s relentless campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, is a symbol of the country’s struggle to maintain power during another brutal winter.

For security reasons, details about the plant’s location, the timing of the visit, and the extent of the damage cannot be disclosed. Officials warn that Moscow uses every available piece of intelligence to plan its next strikes.

On Thursday, Russia launched its second mass attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in under two weeks, marking the 10th such assault this year. The cumulative damage has placed immense pressure on Ukraine’s energy system. Prior to the latest attacks, Ukraine had already lost 9GW of generation capacity—about half the power required during last winter’s peak heating season.

While it remains unclear if the plant we visited was targeted in the most recent strikes, its workers have faced repeated drone and missile attacks since the invasion began in February 2022. Evidence of this destruction is everywhere: gaping holes in the roof, plastic sheets covering vital machinery, and workers warming their hands over a makeshift brazier.

“The conditions are tough,” says Oleksandr, an engineer who asked not to be fully identified. “We don’t even have time to restore the main equipment, let alone the roof and walls. Everything gets destroyed again from one strike to the next.”

Despite the relentless attacks, Ukraine’s western allies are stepping in to help. On Monday, DTEK, the country’s largest private energy company, announced it had received £89 million ($113 million) from the European Commission and U.S. government to restore capacity and protect vital equipment from the snow, rain, and freezing temperatures.

Still, for the engineers working around the clock to keep the power on, it’s a herculean task. The physical and emotional toll of defending Ukraine’s energy system is evident in every corner of the battered plant.