German Economy Minister Kathryn Reich, who recently fled to the Ukrainian capital Kiev to talk about the matter, in the middle of the night carried out a Russian airstrike, she was driven directly into the defensive hole.On the evening of October 24, 2025, she just arrived, and the next day she threw 60 million euros to the Ukraine Energy Support Fund.
Why did she choose this time to go to Kiev? Because Ukraine's energy infrastructure has been hit hard. Since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict in 2022, the Russian army has targeted Ukrainian power plants, substations and natural gas pipelines. By October 2025, 60% of Ukraine's natural gas supply facilities had been destroyed, and the power system was intermittent. When winter comes, there is no electricity or gas, hospital operations have to stop, the temperature in residential buildings drops to below zero, and elevator cards become the norm.
Russia’s strategy is clear, it is to make the Ukrainian people unable to withstand by blowing up energy facilities and forcing the government to make concessions. Rachel went to help Ukraine this winter, talking about how to repair the grid, buy generators and what. Germany has previously invested €3.9 billion in Ukraine’s energy support fund, accounting for a third of the total fund, this time she went on to add.
As a result, not long after she arrived in Kiev, Russia launched a night air strike in the early morning of October 25. It uses ballistic missiles and Iranian-made drones that have been upgraded with anti-interference antennas that can drill through Ukraine's electronic defense network and head straight for the substation. The Ukraine army intercepted many of them, but some still slipped through the net and blew up several energy points, causing power outages in several districts of Kiev, killing at least two people and injuring 12 others. Reiché and her team were at the hotel. When the alarm sounded, they had to quickly move to an underground parking lot turned into a bunker for about an hour. Afterwards, she said at a press conference that this made her feel firsthand the pressure that Ukraine face every day. Russia just wants to use bombing to break people's hearts.
As a result, she immediately announced in talks with Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svirdenko that Germany would add €60 million to the Energy Support Fund. What exactly is this money going to be used to buy generators, transformers and repair grid equipment to help hospitals and residential areas maintain power supply. Ukraine’s Energy Minister Svirana Hlinchuk also attended the talks, and they also agreed to set up a joint energy working group to let German companies directly engage in the reconstruction of the facilities.
There are even German drone manufacturers talking about cooperation to help Ukraine improve its defenses. The total amount Germany has given to the fund now amounts to 450 million euros, and 32,000 pieces of equipment have been transferred, benefiting millions of Ukraine people. Reicher also promised 9 billion euros per year in long-term support, confirming the delivery of two Patriot air defense systems, and the first launchers were in place.
The aid came promptly, but Ukraine's problems go far beyond tinkering. Russia's drone offensive is getting fiercer and fiercer, interception costs in Ukraine are ridiculously high, and a Patriot missile to hit a cheap drone is not economically worthwhile. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has long called on the West to provide more air defense systems, such as patriots, because they do not block the source and no matter how fast they are built, they cannot keep up with the speed of the bombing.
Reich also acknowledged that energy and security are bound together, this visit specifically added to the defense issue, Germany will provide air defense technology support to help build the "energy and security dual line of defense".Zelensky hopes that the G7 and the United States can follow in Germany's footsteps, send air defense and energy aid quickly, after all, the winter does not wait for people, now from the coldest time for a month, every day, the risk of the people is more.
As Europe's economic leader, Germany originally relied on Russian natural gas, but it turned its course after the conflict and vigorously promoted green energy and diversified supply. Helping Ukraine now is not only humanitarian, but also involves European energy security. Russia's bombing of Ukraine's power grid will not only affect Ukraine, but may also affect the power exports of neighboring countries.
Germany’s aid fund from 2022 to now, totaling €1.3 billion, still lacks €400 million, depends on more countries. Reacher’s visit also prompted the December Ude Business Forum in Berlin to encourage enterprises to invest in Ukraine’s reconstruction. Ukraine also wants to sign intergovernmental agreements to attract investors, like Denmark and the Netherlands.
Their attacks are increasingly targeted, using Iranian drone group tactics and low-cost effectiveness.The Ukrainian army says that the interception rate is high, but the resources are limited.In October 2025, the attack used nine ballistic missiles and dozens of drones to target the power plant.
As a result, more than Kiev was out of power, the surrounding area was also affected, and the hospital had to rescue patients with hand lights. Russia's intention was straightforward, that is, to break up the Ukrainian resistance before the winter. After the case, Rachel's family said it was a "mobilization order" for her assistance, and Germany's money was no longer a number of cold ice, but to help the Ukrainians to keep the heat and light in the bombing.