Russias Relentless Assault on Ukraines Energy Infrastructure Disrupts Peace Talks

Russia initiated what Ukraine characterized as the «most intense» assault of the year on its energy infrastructure from Monday night to Tuesday morning, leaving hundreds of thousands without heating as frigid temperatures plummeted.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky remarked, «For Russia, terrorizing people during the coldest days of winter takes precedence over pursuing diplomatic efforts,» highlighting the ongoing discussions aimed at resolving the conflict.

Energy Minister Denys Shmygal of Ukraine noted that Russia employed a mix of ballistic and cruise missiles, along with drones, to target both residential structures and thermal power stations.

Shmygal stated, «Hundreds of thousands of families, including children, were intentionally deprived of heat amidst the severe winter weather.»

According to DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, the assault on Tuesday was the «most powerful» attack on energy infrastructure since the beginning of 2026.

In Kyiv, residents of over 1,000 buildings awoke to find their heating systems disabled as temperatures neared minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit). City officials reported that five individuals were injured.

The Ukrainian air force indicated that Russia launched 71 missiles and 450 attack drones against the country overnight.

Last week, the Kremlin stated it had agreed to a request from the U.S. not to strike Kyiv for a period of seven days, which concluded on Sunday. During that timeframe, Ukraine did not report any extensive attacks on the capital, although it noted that assaults occurred in other regions.