Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast Life in Ukraine with Tim Mak
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Dec 23, 2025 Tim Mak, a seasoned journalist and founder of The Counteroffensive, shares firsthand experiences from Kyiv as he comprehensively reports on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. He discusses the impact of frequent Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, the resilience of daily life amid power outages, and the profound human toll of the war. Tim explores potential paths to peace, the significance of U.S. aid, and the multifaceted challenges facing Ukraine, including public sentiment, military logistics, and the historical context influencing the nation’s struggle.
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Winter Power Cuts And Adaptation
- Kyiv experiences planned, repeated power outages and residents adapt by charging devices and using lanterns.
- Tim Mak describes days with only a few hours of power and frantic battery charging before outages.
Targeting The Grid To Weaponize Winter
- Russia targets energy and grid infrastructure to deprive cities of heat and power during winter.
- Attacks now include nodes transferring power west-to-east, worsening regional disparities.
Decoys To Exhaust Air Defenses
- Russia mixes cheap decoy drones with real ones to exhaust Ukrainian air defenses.
- This forces Ukraine to spend expensive interceptors on non-explosive decoys.