Russia Strikes Ukraine Energy Grid Amid Stalled US Peace Talks

Russia launched a series of massive aerial assaults against Ukraine starting January 23 and 24, 2026, coinciding with the first trilateral peace negotiations between Ukraine, Russia, and the United States since 2022. The attacks, which utilized over 370 drones and 21 missiles, targeted energy infrastructure in Kyiv and Kharkiv, leaving 1.2 million properties nationwide without power and thousands of apartment buildings without heat during sub-zero temperatures. In Kyiv, one person was killed, while strikes in Kharkiv damaged a maternity hospital and a dormitory, injuring dozens. Further attacks on January 26 targeted Odesa, where three people died, and a passenger train in northeastern Ukraine, which killed five.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy characterized the strikes as "barbaric" and "cynical," arguing that a drone strike on a civilian train is "purely as terrorism." He urged allies to accelerate the delivery of air defense systems to protect critical infrastructure. Russia's Ministry of Defense claimed it struck 159 areas, including drone production workshops and foreign mercenary sites. Ukraine retaliated by striking an oil refinery in the Krasnodar region of Russia.

The U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi, mediated by the administration of Donald Trump, concluded on January 24 without a breakthrough. While officials described the atmosphere as constructive, the delegations remained deadlocked over the Donbas region. Russia demands the full withdrawal of Ukrainian forces from the Donetsk region, whereas Zelenskyy has ruled out territorial concessions. Despite the impasse, all parties agreed to resume negotiations in Abu Dhabi on February 1.