Russian strikes hit Kyiv, Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities amid freezing temperatures

Apartment blocks damaged, energy infrastructure targeted as air raid alerts stretch through the night

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Top Summary

• What happened: Russian forces launched overnight missile and drone attacks on Kyiv, Kharkiv and other Ukrainian cities.

• Why it matters now: The strikes come during extreme winter cold and ahead of planned peace talks, amplifying humanitarian and diplomatic pressure.

• What changes for people: Power and heating disruptions, damaged homes, and prolonged air raid alerts.

• Who is affected: Civilians in major Ukrainian cities, emergency services, and energy utilities.

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What happened:

Russian forces carried out overnight attacks on Kyiv, Kharkiv, and multiple other locations early Tuesday, Ukrainian officials said.

In Kyiv, missiles and drones were deployed shortly after midnight as temperatures fell close to –20°C. Reuters witnesses reported loud explosions, while an air raid alert remained in force for more than five hours.

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Why it matters now:

The attacks occurred on the eve of planned three-way talks aimed at resolving the nearly four-year-old Russia–Ukraine war, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates.

They also coincided with disputes over a temporary moratorium on strikes on energy infrastructure, requested by Donald Trump, underscoring the fragility of any pause in fighting.

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What changes for people:

• Homes damaged in multiple districts

• Electricity and heating outages during extreme cold

• Evacuations and emergency repairs underway

• Increased risk to children and elderly residents

Officials said at least four people were injured across Kyiv and Kharkiv.

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Who is affected:

• Residents of Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and surrounding regions

• Families in damaged apartment buildings

• Municipal energy workers and emergency crews

• Civilians already facing winter shortages

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Damage across Kyiv

According to Tymur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv’s military administration, the strikes:

• Hit five districts

• Damaged three apartment blocks

• Struck a building housing a kindergarten

Videos circulating on social media showed flames engulfing apartments on the upper floors of residential buildings.

Kyiv has faced repeated large-scale attacks since New Year’s Day, leaving hundreds of apartment blocks without power and heating, with repairs still ongoing.

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Kharkiv: heating under threat

In Kharkiv, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the strikes deliberately targeted energy infrastructure.

He warned that coolant would need to be drained from heating systems supplying 820 apartment buildings to prevent pipes from freezing.

“The goal is obvious: to cause maximum destruction and leave the city without heat in severe cold,” Terekhov wrote on Telegram.

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Wider regional impact

Ukraine’s public broadcaster Suspilne reported:

• Power outages in Izium and Balakliia in the Kharkiv region

• Damage to two apartment buildings in the northern city of Sumy

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Ceasefire confusion

The attacks followed conflicting claims over an energy-strike pause:

• Russia said the moratorium ended on Sunday

• Ukraine said it remains valid until one week from January 30

On Monday, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had avoided missile and drone strikes on major energy sites over the previous 24 hours, though frontline shelling continued to hit power facilities.

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Bottom line

The latest Russian strikes have intensified civilian suffering in Ukraine’s largest cities, targeting homes and critical infrastructure at the coldest point of winter. With energy systems strained and diplomatic efforts looming, the attacks underline how fragile both daily life and peace prospects remain.