A Polish volunteer fundraising platform raised over 2.4 million zlotys (about $660,000) to buy generators for Kiev, part of a broader effort to support Ukrainians affected by Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

The initiative, titled Heat from Poland for Kiev, began with a goal of 400,000 zlotys and quickly surpassed it, prompting organizers to raise the target multiple times, ultimately topping around 3.3 million zlotys (roughly €773,500) as of mid-January 2026.

Polish ambassador to Ukraine welcomed the drive, noting its life-saving potential, while officials pointed to continued Russian attacks on energy infrastructure across multiple regions.

Donations were redirected to purchase generators, sleeping bags, and fuel, coordinated by a coalition including Stand with Ukraine Foundation and Euromaidan-Warschau, among others.

Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko called the situation exceptional, with hundreds of thousands affected by outages and some buildings reconnected to heating in mid-January.

Over 27,500 people contributed in Poland, with the fundraising platform showing rapid growth toward a larger target of five million zlotys.

In mid-January, Ukraine declared a state of emergency in the energy sector as Kyiv faced widespread outages and freezing temperatures, with temperatures dropping to about -12 to -17 degrees Celsius.

Analysts anticipate the energy crisis could persist through March, with Russia aiming to destabilize Ukraine by destroying the energy network, though spring may bring renewed use of renewable power.

Ukraine’s energy ministry reported ongoing Russian strikes on power facilities, with about 60 teams in Kyiv and 12 elsewhere working to restore power and manage planned outages.

The fundraising effort underscores cross-border solidarity and a rapid mobilization of resources to address urgent energy-access needs in Kyiv amid the conflict.

The Kyiv Independent highlighted international attention to Polish humanitarian support for Ukraine during the winter power outages.

Organizers said donations exceeded expectations and described the dire conditions in Ukraine, where outages left people in basements or unheated apartments without heat, hot meals, or reliable communication.