Russia Strikes Ukraine’s Energy Network as Winter Deepens and Peace Talks Near

Post by : Saif Nasser

Russia carried out one of its largest recent attacks on Ukraine’s energy system just days before new peace talks are set to begin. Ukrainian officials said hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles hit energy facilities across the country, cutting electricity and heating to many homes during extreme winter cold.

The attacks took place overnight and affected at least eight regions. Major cities, including Kyiv and Kharkiv, were among the targets. Officials said apartment buildings were also struck, and at least nine people were injured.

Temperatures in many areas were around minus 20 degrees Celsius, making the loss of heat especially dangerous. Ukrainian leaders said hundreds of thousands of families, including children and elderly people, were left without heating during some of the coldest days of the winter.

Ukraine’s energy minister said the strikes damaged systems that supply heat and hot water to homes. In Kyiv alone, more than 1,100 apartment blocks reportedly lost heating. Several districts in the capital were damaged, and one building used as a kindergarten was hit.

In Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city, local officials said energy infrastructure was directly targeted. More than 800 buildings lost heating, and water was drained from radiators to prevent pipes from freezing and bursting. Authorities said over 100,000 properties in the city were affected.

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy accused Russia of using the cold as a weapon. He said the attacks showed that Moscow was choosing fear and pressure over diplomacy. According to him, striking energy systems during freezing weather was meant to hurt civilians and weaken morale.

The strikes came just one day before planned peace talks in Abu Dhabi. Officials from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are expected to attend. The talks are part of efforts by Washington to help end the war, which began nearly four years ago when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Earlier discussions held in January did not lead to progress, especially on the issue of territory. Russia has demanded that Ukraine give up more land in the east, a condition Kyiv has firmly rejected. Both sides have blamed each other for the lack of movement toward peace.

Last week, Russia and Ukraine said they had agreed to pause attacks on each other’s energy systems. However, they disagreed on when the pause would start, and the latest strikes suggest that the fragile understanding has broken down.

As winter tightens its grip, Ukraine faces pressure both on the battlefield and at the negotiating table. The coming talks will test whether diplomacy can make progress while the fighting, and the suffering of civilians, continues.