Overnight Strikes Hit Ukraine as Peace Talks Resume
Russia intensified its military campaign on January 24, 2026, with a large-scale barrage of missiles and drones striking Ukraine’s major cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, just hours before a second day of peace negotiations involving Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The assaults killed at least one civilian and wounded dozens more while severely damaging critical energy and residential infrastructure, officials said.
Major Cities Targeted: Power, Heat and Civilian Areas Hit
In the capital city of Kyiv, drone and missile strikes damaged multiple residential buildings and disrupted heating and electricity services, leaving hundreds of thousands without power in freezing winter conditions. Ukrainian authorities reported that roughly 1.2 million homes across the country experienced outages, worsening an ongoing energy crisis.
Meanwhile in Kharkiv, near the Russian border, attacks struck hospitals, a maternity ward, a displaced persons dormitory, and other civilian structures. Local leaders said dozens of people were injured, including women and children.
These strikes come as the first formal U.S.-brokered peace talks with direct participation by American envoys, aiming to end nearly four years of full-scale war.
Diplomatic Fallout and Political Reactions
Ukrainian officials condemned the timing of Russia’s air campaign, calling it an attempt to undermine the diplomatic process. Ukraine’s foreign minister criticized the attacks as “barbaric” and said they struck not only people but also the negotiation table itself.
Despite the violence, representatives from Kyiv, Moscow, and Washington continued talks in Abu Dhabi, focusing on unresolved issues including territorial disputes in eastern Ukraine. The U.S. government described the first day of negotiations as productive, though observers caution that significant disagreements remain.
