KYIV: Russia launched the “most powerful” attack so far this year on Ukraine’s battered energy facilities overnight, Kyiv said on Tuesday, leaving hundreds of thousands without heating in glacial temperatures ahead of talks to end the four-year war.

Russia’s strikes hit as temperatures dropped to their lowest since the start of the war in February 2022 and damaged an iconic Soviet-era WWII monument. They came a day before Ukrainian and Russian negotiators were due to meet for a second round of talks in Abu Dhabi.

“Taking advantage of the coldest days of winter to terrorise people is more important to Russia than turning to diplomacy,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, denouncing the attack. He said Russia has “once again disregarded the efforts of the American side”.

Nato chief Mark Rutte, who visited Kyiv on Tuesday, said in an address to Ukraine’s parliament that “Russian attacks like those last night, do not signal seriousness about peace”. An air alert warning of a possible Russian missile attack blared out across Kyiv during Rutte’s visit.

Attacks show lack of ‘seriousness’ on talks, says Nato chief

Journalists heard explosions across the capital overnight and residents in over 1,000 buildings woke to find their heating cut off as temperatures dipped towards -20C.

Some residents gathered around a damaged building, stepping over creaking debris and a thick layer of ice coating the ground.

“Our windows are broken and we have no heating,” Anastasia Grytsenko said, “we don’t know what to do. Everyone is confused.” Russia’s defence ministry confirmed it had launched “a massive strike” against “Ukrainian military-industrial complex enterprises and energy facilities”.

The Kremlin had last week said it agreed to a US request not to strike Kyiv for seven days, ending Sunday. Ukraine had not reported large-scale Russian attacks on the capital last week, while denouncing continued attacks in other parts of the country.

“Several types of ballistic and cruise missiles, as well as drones, were used to strike high-rise buildings and thermal power plants,” Energy Minister Denys Shmygal said.

“Hundreds of thousands of families, including children, were deliberately left without heat in the harshest winter frosts,” he added.

Tuesday’s strike on Ukraine’s battered energy facilities was “the most powerful” since the start of 2026, the country’s largest private energy provider DTEK confirmed.

Ukraine’s air force said Russia had attacked with 71 missiles and 450 attack drones.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2026