Escalating Conflict in Ukraine: Russian Airstrikes Resume Amid Harsh Winter Conditions

Tue Feb 03 2026 17:59:10 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia has launched a renewed wave of airstrikes targeting critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine, coinciding with the harshest winter temperatures seen this season.

After a brief reprieve, Russia has intensified its aerial assaults on Ukraine, primarily targeting energy facilities as temperatures plummet below -20C. President Zelensky condemned these actions as acts of terror and called for increased international pressure on Moscow. This escalation follows the expiration of a temporary energy truce and further complicates ongoing diplomatic efforts.

Russia has launched its biggest aerial attack on Ukraine in some time, targeting power plants and energy infrastructure in Kyiv and many other locations.

The strikes were launched as temperatures dropped below minus 20C (-4F) overnight and have left more than 1,000 tower blocks in the capital without heating once again and damaged a power plant in the eastern city of Kharkiv beyond repair.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia was choosing terror and escalation rather than diplomacy to end this war and called for maximum pressure on Moscow from Ukraine's allies.

The attack comes after a so-called energy truce agreed by Donald Trump with Vladimir Putin expired at the weekend.

It also came on the day NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte was in Kyiv to meet President Zelensky and address the national parliament.

Donald Trump's initiative was meant to give diplomacy a chance. Negotiators from Russia and Ukraine are due to meet in Abu Dhabi for another round of talks coordinated by the US later this week. However, it is clear that Russia has other ideas.

During the early hours following the attack, the first explosions rang out in Kyiv, with the air raid lasting more than seven hours and several subsequent blasts being reported. Residents spent the night sheltering in metro stations, with some pitching tents on the platforms to protect them from the freezing cold.

President Zelensky reported that more than 70 ballistic and cruise missiles were fired, accompanied by 450 drones used to overwhelm Ukraine's air defenses. Ukraine's Air Force noted that it had intercepted only 38 of the missiles, meaning many reached their targets.

Military officials have voiced continuous complaints regarding the shortage of missiles necessary for effective air protection. Ukraine currently relies heavily on US-made Patriot missile systems for its defense.

Timely delivery of missiles for air defense systems and the protection of normal life are our priority, Zelensky wrote on social media. Without pressure on Russia, there will be no end to this war.

Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of using the coldest days of winter to terrorize people. The private power company DTEK has confirmed that two of its plants were hit again overnight, marking the ninth significant attack on the sector since October.

The ongoing assaults have inflicted severe damage on state-run facilities in Kyiv and elsewhere, complicating repair efforts and making Ukraine's power system increasingly fragile and prone to blackouts.

With teams of engineers laboring intensively to restore power, many Ukrainian citizens have been left without heating for days, forced to sleep in layers of clothing and under thick blankets, while relying on soup kitchens for hot meals as power cuts continue.

Residents believe that these attacks are designed to instill discontent towards their government in Kyiv, forcing them to submit to Russia's demands. However, prevailing sentiment reflects anger towards Russia, alongside a strong determination to resist any compromises.

As the situation remains dire, one resident named Vera expressed her resolve, stating, Russia won't get what it wants. We are stronger than them in any case.