Overview
- Ukraine reported more than 70 missiles and about 450 drones fired overnight that struck energy facilities in several regions, leaving over 1,100 residential buildings in Kyiv without heat as temperatures neared −20°C.
- Authorities cited damage to DTEK power infrastructure and said a Kharkiv plant suffered irreparable harm, while Kyiv’s Motherland monument was hit and residents sheltered in the metro.
- President Volodymyr Zelensky said the attacks show Moscow is prioritizing force over diplomacy and that Ukraine’s negotiating team will adjust its approach, as Russia had signaled any pause on energy targets was expiring.
- Ukrainian air-defense shortfalls persisted, with local data and analyses describing reduced interception rates and shortages of interceptor munitions compared with earlier phases of the war.
- Despite the barrage, a second trilateral round in Abu Dhabi is set with U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, as European and U.S. partners discuss a three-step deterrence plan involving a European-led presence, a coalition of volunteers, and U.S. logistical and potential military backing; separately, the U.S. shot down an Iranian-launched drone near the USS Lincoln but said Iran talks remain planned.