Eleanor Beardsley

The Kremlin is trying to cripple Ukraine's energy structures ahead of another winter of war.

Generators hum away on the sidewalks of Kyiv, and people plan their lives around the rolling blackouts.

27-year-old Victoria Muskaluk is buying fresh eggs at her weekly street market.

She says Ukrainians are hanging on and trying to live as they can.

Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

Air raid sirens blared over Kiev in the early morning hours Saturday, but the strikes were targeted at energy facilities more than civilian infrastructure this time.

The Kremlin is trying to cripple Ukraine's energy structures ahead of another winter of war.

Generators hum away on the sidewalks of Kyiv, and people plan their lives around the rolling blackouts.

27-year-old Victoria Muskaluk is buying fresh eggs at her weekly street market.

She says Ukrainians are hanging on and trying to live as they can.

Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

Ukraine still holds on to a little less than 30% of Donetsk Oblast, but it's a key fortified belt that includes several cities with people who want to remain in Ukraine.

Russia wants Ukraine to hand it all over.

Ukrainians fear the U.S., in its quest to seal a deal, will pressure Kyiv to abandon Donetsk.

Russia is making incremental gains in eastern Ukraine but lost 25,000 soldiers in the month of October alone.

Ukraine's commander-in-chief, General Oleksandr Sersky, says Kyiv's strategy is to exhaust the Russians and prevent their advance.

Sersky says he does not even allow himself to consider a scenario in which Ukraine would be forced to give Russia the entire Donetsk region.

Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

Ukraine still holds on to a little less than 30% of Donetsk Oblast, but it's a key fortified belt that includes several cities with people who want to remain in Ukraine.

Russia wants Ukraine to hand it all over.