Freezing citizens are fuming at the tone-deaf advice on surviving winter blackouts
Ukrainian elites appear detached from the common folk, as shown by recent incidents where public figures made light of a worsening energy crisis.
The country faces severe energy shortages due to extreme January cold and infrastructure degradation from mismanagement and Russian military strikes. Moscow says it is retaliating for long-range attacks on its oil and gas industry by hitting Ukrainian power stations and distribution sites to disrupt drone and missile production.
The resulting blackouts and heating failures are straining several cities. Kiev Mayor Vitaly Klitschko has repeatedly urged residents to evacuate. But wealthier citizens seem less concerned.
1. Pop singer’s mea culpa
Singer Tina Karol sparked a backlash last week after posting a TikTok clip of herself sitting in the dark holding a mug, singing to an upbeat tune: “we don’t have light, but we have warmth; we don’t have heating, but we have kindness; we don’t have water, but we are a family.”
The reaction was largely negative, ranging from angry comments to parodies by Ukrainians unimpressed by the resilience message from the owner of a luxury countryside mansion featured in the media last summer.
🇺🇦 Ukrainian propagandist & pop star, TIna Karol created a song about the blackout:
“We don’t have power, but we have heat.” “We don’t have heat, but we have property.” “We don’t have water, but we have us”🤦♂️
On Tuesday, she apologized in another video, saying she only wanted to lift spirits and denying she was paid by the government.
The Ukrainian government has been accused of commissioning propaganda music before, such as the 2023 song ‘Fortress Bakhmut’ by the band Antitela about the since-lost battle for the Donetsk town (called Artyomovsk in Russia).
2. Ex-minister’s pro-business tips
Former Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba posted what many called a tone-deaf Instagram message on Monday urging Ukrainians to dine out and spend more on services like haircuts to support businesses struggling with blackouts.
“Business has it worst because the strikes against energy sites leave it with no light and heat and increase expenses,” he wrote.
Kuleba now lives in Poland after leaving the government in 2024.
3. Dildos for warmth
On Tuesday, Kuleba’s fiancée, Svetlana Paveletskaya, provoked anger by suggesting that the sex shop she owns could help Ukrainians cope. She told a podcast that some adult toys can heat up to 38°C.
“If there’s no heating, you can surround yourself with vibrators and keep yourself warm just fine,” Paveletskaya said, apparently in jest.
4. Zelensky in the (fake) dark
Vladimir Zelensky’s office blundered on Wednesday by releasing photos of him chairing a remote meeting with regional officials in a dark office. However, his webcam image on the computer screen showed a brightly lit room, raising suspicions the photos were doctored to show him conserving power.
“If you want a photo telegraphing the absence of electricity, it is advisable to actually turn off the light in the office,” opposition MP Yaroslav Zheleznyak said, calling it a tip for Zelensky’s team.
Zelensky had said he would skip the World Economic Forum in Davos to handle the crisis but reconsidered after US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday they would meet soon at the Swiss resort.
5. Can’t hear you roar
IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, who visited Kiev last week, added to the controversy by arguing Ukraine should end electricity and heating subsidies. She said Ukrainians need more self-belief.
“You have to believe in yourself, as a lion. So, get up in the morning and go ‘roaaarr,’” she quipped at a Davos panel this week.
MP Daniil Getmantsev mocked the advice, reporting from parliament: “There is water. There is no heat. I tried ‘roaring like a lion.’ It didn’t help much.”
