Zelensky says Russia choosing war over diplomacy after massive overnight missile and drone barrage – Firstpost

As Russia launched a massive overnight barrage of missiles and drones on Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday said Moscow was prioritising further attacks over peace talks.

In a post on social media, Zelensky said Russia had fired more than 70 missiles and around 450 attack drones, accusing Moscow of exploiting the coldest days of winter to terrorise civilians. “Taking advantage of the coldest days of winter to terrorise people is more important to Russia than turning to diplomacy,” he wrote.

Kyiv landmark damaged in overnight strike

The overnight assault also damaged part of Kyiv’s Motherland monument, a Soviet-era World War II memorial, Ukraine’s culture minister said. Calling the strike “symbolic and cynical”, Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna said the attack targeted a site commemorating resistance to aggression in the 20th century, while Russia repeats similar crimes in the 21st century.

Energy infrastructure hit as temperatures plunge

Russian strikes also hit Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, leaving more than 1,100 residential buildings in Kyiv without heating as temperatures dropped close to minus 20 degrees Celsius, officials said.

Restoration Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said the attacks had targeted homes, heating systems and basic living conditions for civilians across the country.

Civilian targets struck across multiple regions

According to local authorities, dozens of missiles were launched overnight at power plants in at least six regions, including the capital Kyiv.

Ukraine’s energy minister, Denys Shmyhal, said the targets were civilian rather than military. In a post on social media, he said hundreds of thousands of families, including children, had been deliberately left without heating during the harshest winter conditions, with temperatures falling to minus 25 degrees Celsius.

Trump’s pause request and limited ceasefire window

Last Thursday, President Trump said he had asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to halt attacks for a week. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov later confirmed a pause but said it would only last until Sunday.

Kharkiv and Kyiv report heating disruptions

In the eastern city of Kharkiv, authorities said all 101 emergency tents providing warmth and charging facilities had been opened. They added that water would likely need to be drained from pipes following strikes on a power plant, leaving at least 820 apartment buildings without heating.

In Kyiv, energy infrastructure was also hit, though the full extent of the damage was not immediately clear. At least three people were reported injured.

Peace talks planned in Abu Dhabi

Earlier, Zelensky said a Ukrainian delegation had departed for Abu Dhabi, where talks involving representatives from Russia, Ukraine and the United States are scheduled for Wednesday.

He said bilateral discussions with the United States would also take place, adding that there was “ground for talks” this time. Zelensky said Ukraine was ready to discuss security guarantees and that the talks would also cover the country’s future reconstruction.