Sweden adds SEK 522 million in civilian aid for Ukraine ahead of winter, with most going to energy

Sweden has announced a civilian support package for Ukraine worth SEK 522 million for 2026, aimed at the most urgent needs before and during the winter. The Swedish government said on 16 October that it is responding to Russian attacks on civilian targets, in particular energy infrastructure and transport routes, which it says are hitting Ukraine’s economy and its population.

What the package covers

According to the government, the largest share, SEK 271 million, goes to energy support through the UN Development Programme (UNDP). It is meant to pay for equipment and installations for energy supply. Stockholm expects this part to provide electricity and heat to about 150,000 Ukrainians in communities across the country, and to keep hospitals, schools, telecommunications and water supply running in those places.

A further SEK 60 million goes to the Ukraine Transport Support Fund, an international fund that Sweden says it initiated and helped to shape. The money is intended to restore transport infrastructure, including railways and border crossings.

The rest of the package is divided as follows, according to the release:

• SEK 50 million in humanitarian aid, of which SEK 20 million to the UN refugee agency UNHCR and SEK 30 million to the World Food Programme;
• SEK 67 million to strengthen Ukraine’s civilian cyber security, coordinated within the Tallinn Mechanism;
• SEK 74 million to the World Health Organization for Ukraine’s health care, public health work and preparedness against infectious diseases.

The funds for UNDP, the transport fund, the WHO and civilian cyber security are channelled through Sida, the Swedish development agency.

Ministers’ statements

Benjamin Dousa, Sweden’s minister for international development cooperation and foreign trade, said Russia’s attacks on the civilian population and civilian infrastructure are deliberate attempts to break Ukraine’s resilience, and that by hitting electricity and heating Russia is trying to make the coming winter unbearable.

Andreas Carlson, the infrastructure and housing minister, said that when infrastructure is destroyed it is also a heavy blow to Ukraine’s economy and a threat to global food supply, and added that “Sweden stands firmly by Ukraine”.

Sweden’s total support

The government says the new package brings Sweden’s total support to Ukraine since the full-scale invasion began in 2022 to about SEK 158 billion, of which about SEK 29.6 billion is civilian. For 2026, civilian support so far is estimated at about SEK 10.1 billion.

Context

The winter appeal comes as the United Nations continues to report damage to Ukraine’s power and water systems. Geopolitiki covered the latest figures in UN: Ukrainian authorities report six civilians killed and 84 injured as attacks cut power and water in 11 regions. Sweden’s military contributions are separate: see Sweden to deploy Patriot to Poland from December to protect NATO’s hub for Ukraine. The details of the package are set out in the Swedish government’s press release.