By Micah Jonah
January 16, 2026
Ukraine – Russian missile and drone attacks have intensified Ukraine’s energy and humanitarian crisis as the country faces sub-freezing temperatures, further straining an already overburdened population.
On January 9, Russia launched 242 kamikaze drones and 26 missiles targeting Kyiv and other cities. Ukraine’s Air Force intercepted most of the attacks, but 16 drones and 18 missiles reached their targets, killing four people, wounding nearly 30. The strikes left roughly 6,000 apartment
/buildings, and half a million residents without power, heat, or water. Windows were shattered and January winds swept into homes across Kyiv, Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Odesa, Dnipro, and Lviv.
Two days later, approximately 1,000 buildings in Kyiv remained without power. Russian attacks continued on January 13, striking power stations and substations, killing another four civilians. Emergency power cuts were introduced across multiple regions including Kyiv, Chernihiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia, and Donetsk.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attacks as an attempt by Russia to exploit the cold weather and target energy facilities. He declared a state of emergency for the energy sector, established a coordination headquarters in Kyiv for repairs, and appointed former Prime Minister, Denys Shmyhal as energy minister to expand electricity imports.
The Kyiv Independent reported that Russian strikes have now damaged roughly 70 percent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure this winter. Residents described coping with limited electricity and heating, relying on hot water bottles to stay warm.
The assaults coincided with ongoing negotiations between Ukraine and the United States over security guarantees following a potential ceasefire. The United Kingdom also pledged 268 million dollars to support a multinational force to enforce the ceasefire. Russia condemned the agreements, warning European forces in Ukraine would be considered legitimate targets and deployed its new Oreshnik ballistic missile in a show of force.
US President, Donald Trump criticized Ukraine, not Russia, for slowing peace negotiations. He told Reuters that Ukraine was “less ready to make a deal” and blamed Zelenskyy for delays. Kiril Dimitriev, head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund and a key negotiator for Moscow, echoed Trump’s assessment, suggesting Kyiv was sabotaging progress.
The United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine reported that violence in 2025 killed 2,514 civilians and injured 12,142, a 31 percent increase from the previous year. Russian attacks continue to exacerbate humanitarian needs, leaving millions of residents without power, heat, and water in harsh winter conditions.
Russia has annexed Donbas, Crimea, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, while signaling ambitions over Novorossiya, a belt of regions including Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Mykolaiv, and Odesa. Securing these areas would give Russia full control over Ukraine’s Black Sea coast and key ports.
The conflict shows no immediate signs of abating as Ukraine struggles to repair infrastructure, international mediators attempt to advance ceasefire negotiations.
