While the three countries, with Washington as the mediator, huddled in Abu Dhabi, Russia continued its assault in Ukraine and virtually incapacitated its energy grid amid harsh winters
The second round of trilateral talks between the US, Russia, and Ukraine concluded on a positive note, according to Kyiv, although no breakthrough was reached.
While the three countries, with Washington as the mediator, huddled in Abu Dhabi, Russia continued its assault in
Ukraine and virtually incapacitated its energy grid amid harsh winters.
Russia hits Ukraine’s energy grid
Just hours before the Abu Dhabi talks commenced, Russia unleashed a massive attack on Ukraine, targeting its energy infrastructure. The Ukrainian Air Force said that Russia launched 71 missiles and 450 drones on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
Out of the Russian arsenal, 38 missiles and 412 drones were shot down or suppressed by Ukrainian forces. The attack was the biggest reported by the Ukrainian army so far this year and has crippled the country’s energy grid.
Russia’s Defense Ministry said in a post to Telegram that its forces “carried out a massive strike” on “Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and energy facilities used in their interests, as well as places of storage and assembly of long-range unmanned aerial vehicles.”
‘Taking advantage of the cold days’
Fuming Zelenskyy wrote on X: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky accused Moscow of exploiting the brief halt to stockpile missiles. “Taking advantage of the coldest days of winter to terrorize people is more important to Russia than turning to diplomacy.”
“This clearly demonstrates what is needed from partners and what can help. Timely delivery of missiles for air defense systems and protection of normal life is our priority. Without pressure on Russia, there will be no end to this war,” he added.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy firm, said that the Russian strikes have yielded “significant” damage to its power plants, in what it said was “the ninth massive attack on the company’s thermal power stations since October 2025.”
Russia resumes strikes after brief pause
Earlier this week, Russia broke a loose ceasefire agreed upon with the US with a late-night attack in Ukraine’s capital.
The attacks came after Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to
pause attacking Ukraine on account of harsh winters that have crippled the country due to a severely damaged energy infrastructure. The ceasefire was a result of a “personal request” made by Trump, as per the Kremlin.
Last Friday, Putin agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv until Feb. 1, at the personal request of Donald Trump.
Back then, the White House claimed that the agreement was made to give Ukraine a reprieve during the region’s “extreme cold,” though the Kremlin did not cite weather as a factor.
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