Russia initiated a second significant drone and missile onslaught on Ukraine within four days, officials confirmed on Tuesday, targeting the power grid once again amidst frigid temperatures in a perceived disregard for U.S.-led peace initiatives as Moscow’s invasion of its neighboring country nears its four-year anniversary. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy disclosed that Russia launched nearly 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles, and seven cruise missiles across eight regions overnight. Tragically, a strike in the northeastern Kharkiv region resulted in the deaths of four individuals at a mail facility, with several hundred thousand households losing power in the Kyiv region, Zelenskyy reported. The attack in Kharkiv also left 10 people injured, according to local authorities.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko revealed that the strikes on Monday night led to the most extensive power outage the city has experienced thus far. As daytime temperatures plummeted to -12°C, more than 500 residential buildings remained without central heating on Tuesday. To manage the situation, friends and relatives congregated in apartments with power or hot water, temporarily seeking refuge by charging their phones, taking hot showers, or sharing warm beverages.
In response to the crisis, Klitschko mandated the provision of one hot meal daily to residents in need and announced bonuses for workers in the city’s essential services who have been tirelessly laboring day and night to restore critical infrastructure. Throughout the conflict, Russia has deliberately aimed to deprive Ukrainian civilians of heat and running water during the winter season, in a bid to diminish public resistance to Moscow’s full-scale invasion, which commenced on February 24, 2022. Ukrainian officials have described this strategy as “weaponizing winter.”
Simultaneously, Russia’s Defense Ministry declared that Russian air defenses downed 11 Ukrainian drones overnight. This large-scale assault occurred shortly after Ukraine and its allies reported significant progress toward a peace agreement to conclude the war, although Moscow has not shown any indication publicly that it is willing to compromise on its maximalist demands regarding territory and Ukraine’s exclusion from European alliances. Furthermore, Russia criticized the U.S. for seizing an oil tanker last week, as part of the Trump administration’s assertive campaign pressuring oil exports from Venezuela.
The U.S. criticized Russia for a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” in the conflict while attempting to advance peace negotiations. At an emergency UN Security Council meeting, Tammy Bruce, the U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations, deplored the high number of casualties in the conflict and condemned Russia’s intensified assaults on energy and infrastructure. The meeting was convened following an overnight Russian offensive last Thursday involving hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, including the powerful new hypersonic Oreshnik missile, utilized by Moscow for only the second time.
Reflecting on the situation, Bruce reminded Russia of its vote in favor of a Security Council resolution almost a year ago, urging an end to the conflict. Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia asserted that military action would persist until Zelenskyy agrees to realistic terms for negotiations. Nebenzia cautioned that with each passing day of delay, negotiating conditions would deteriorate for Zelenskyy. Last year marked the deadliest for Ukrainian civilians since 2022, with 2,514 civilians killed, representing a 31% increase from 2024. Over 12,000 individuals were injured in the conflict, underscoring the dire humanitarian toll.
A coalition of Ukraine’s allies is formulating plans for a post-war scenario, with Britain and France pledging to deploy troops in Ukraine if a ceasefire is established. However, specific security assurances from the U.S. are being sought in this context. Leaders from Britain, Italy, Germany, France, and Canada, along with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, are slated to address this matter with Trump and Zelenskyy at the upcoming World Economic Forum in Switzerland, as per a report from the Financial Times citing three officials briefed on the plans who spoke anonymously.