Russia initiated a second significant drone and missile assault on Ukraine within four days, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The attack, targeting the power grid, occurred during freezing temperatures, seemingly disregarding peace efforts led by the U.S. as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine nears its four-year anniversary.
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s social media update, Russia launched nearly 300 drones, 18 ballistic missiles, and seven cruise missiles across eight regions overnight. One strike in the northeastern Kharkiv region resulted in the deaths of four individuals at a mail depot. Furthermore, several hundred thousand households in the Kyiv region were left without power, with 10 individuals sustaining injuries in the Kharkiv attack.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that the strikes on Monday night led to the most significant power outage the city has experienced. As temperatures dropped to -12 degrees Celsius, over 500 residential buildings remained without central heating on Tuesday. To address the situation, residents gathered in apartments with electricity or hot water, temporarily sharing resources such as phone charging, hot showers, or warm beverages.
Klitschko issued a directive for the city to provide one hot meal daily to those in need, while also announcing bonuses for workers in essential services like water, heating, and road maintenance for their round-the-clock efforts to restore critical infrastructure.
Ukrainian officials have labeled Russia’s tactic of depriving civilians of heat and running water during winter as “weaponizing winter” in an attempt to weaken public resistance to Moscow’s ongoing invasion, which began on February 24, 2022.
Russian air defenses reportedly downed 11 Ukrainian drones overnight, as confirmed by Russia’s Defense Ministry on Tuesday.
The recent large-scale attack followed reports of significant progress toward a peace agreement between Ukraine and its allies, despite Moscow showing no signs of willingness to compromise on territorial demands or Ukraine’s exclusion from European alliances. Additionally, Russia criticized the U.S. for seizing an oil tanker, part of the Trump administration’s aggressive stance on Venezuelan oil exports.
The U.S. condemned Russia’s actions as a “dangerous and inexplicable escalation” in the conflict as it strives to advance peace negotiations. Tammy Bruce, the U.S. deputy ambassador to the United Nations, expressed concern over the high casualty rates and denounced Russia’s escalating attacks on energy and infrastructure.
Ukraine convened an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council following a recent Russian bombardment involving numerous drones and missiles, including the deployment of the powerful new hypersonic Oreshnik missile, utilized by Moscow for only the second time.
Bruce reminded Russia of its previous support for a Security Council resolution urging an end to the conflict, calling for actions to match previous commitments. In response, Russia’s UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia stated that military means would persist until Ukrainian President Zelenskyy agrees to realistic negotiation terms.
The conflict in 2025 resulted in the highest civilian death toll in Ukraine since 2022, with 2,514 civilians killed and over 12,000 injured, marking a 31% increase from the previous year. The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine highlighted the rise in long-range attacks and targeting of national energy infrastructure, extending the impact of the war to civilians beyond the front line.
In preparation for a post-war scenario, a coalition of Ukraine’s allies, including Britain and France, committed to deploying troops in Ukraine if a ceasefire is achieved. Discussions are underway for specific U.S. security guarantees in this scenario, with leaders from several countries planning to address the matter with Trump and Zelenskyy at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland.
The coalition’s plans were disclosed by officials speaking anonymously to the Financial Times, emphasizing the strategic considerations and diplomatic efforts surrounding the ongoing conflict.
