Ukraine’s Struggling Businesses Reveal the Cost of Russia’s Energy War on Freedom and Recovery

As dawn breaks over Kyiv’s historic Podil district, the warmth from Spelta bakery-bistro offers a fleeting comfort against a harsh reality: Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid have forced businesses to operate under near-constant threat of blackout. Oleksandr Kutsenko, the bakery's head baker, pauses mid-shift as ovens lose power, relying on costly generators to keep his business alive through bitter cold and uncertainty. This is not just a local struggle; it is a vivid example of how Moscow’s aggression directly undermines Ukraine's economic sovereignty—a struggle that resonates deeply with American values of freedom and resilience. For years, Ukraine has...