Ukraine's Capital Faces Heating Crisis as Russia Breaks Energy Attack Pause
Kyiv, 4 February 2026
Over 1,100 apartment buildings in Kyiv remain without power and heating as temperatures plummet to -20°C, following Russia’s resumption of infrastructure strikes after a week-long pause requested by US President Trump ended. The attacks, involving 450 drones and 70 missiles, came just one day before crucial US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi. President Zelensky condemned the timing as particularly cynical, stating Russia prioritises terrorising civilians during winter’s coldest days over diplomatic progress.
Infrastructure Under Fire
The scale of the assault on Ukraine’s power grid demonstrates Russia’s systematic targeting of civilian infrastructure during the harshest winter conditions in four years of conflict [3]. On 2nd February 2026, Russian forces launched a coordinated attack involving 450 drones and 70 missiles across multiple regions [6], marking the ninth major assault on DTEK’s thermal power plants since October [6]. The strikes hit critical facilities including Kyiv’s Darnytsia Combined Heat and Power plant, which has been “severely damaged” according to reports [1], whilst a power plant in Kharkiv has been damaged beyond repair [1]. As of 3rd February, more than 200 repair crews are working to restore power in Kyiv [1], where President Zelensky confirmed that over 1,100 apartment buildings remain without electricity [1].
Civilian Impact Across Regions
The humanitarian consequences extend far beyond the capital, with Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov reporting that residents in Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Cherkasy regions are without power [5]. President Zelensky described the “toughest situation” as being in Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, and Poltava regions, with difficult conditions also reported in Dnipro and Cherkasy regions [1]. The human cost is evident in testimonies from affected residents, with Kyiv resident Iryna Vovk stating: “Here in Kyiv, life is very awful,” explaining that her daughter “cannot study [like] normal, she cannot use online lessons” [1]. The attacks occurred as temperatures in Kyiv reached -20°C overnight and -16°C during the day on 2nd February [6], prompting UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to condemn the strikes as “barbaric” and “particularly depraved” [1].
Diplomatic Consequences and Peace Talks
The timing of Russia’s renewed offensive has significant diplomatic implications, coming just one day before crucial US-brokered peace talks scheduled for 3rd and 4th February in Abu Dhabi [6]. These trilateral meetings between US, Ukrainian, and Russian negotiators [8] represent a critical juncture in efforts to resolve the conflict, with territory identified as the main issue under discussion [1]. President Zelensky condemned Russia’s decision to resume attacks, stating: “Taking advantage of the coldest days of winter to terrorise people is more important to Russia than diplomacy” [6]. The Ukrainian leader also emphasised that “We believe this Russian strike clearly violates what the American side discussed, and there must be consequences” [6], highlighting the breach of the energy infrastructure pause that had been in effect since 26th January [1].
Previous Attempts at Energy Truces
The collapsed energy truce represents the latest failure in a series of attempts to protect civilian infrastructure during the conflict. The Kremlin had agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv energy targets until 1st February 2026, following a personal request from US President Donald Trump due to extreme cold weather conditions [5]. However, this agreement followed a pattern of failed energy truces, including a 30-day moratorium negotiated by Trump in spring 2025 and a proposal by Zelensky in December 2025 [5]. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, who visited Kyiv on 2nd February, called the overnight strikes “a really bad signal” [6] and addressed the Ukrainian parliament, confirming that NATO countries “are ready to provide support quickly and consistently” [6]. The international community’s response underscores the broader implications of attacks on civilian infrastructure, with NATO members having provided 75% of missiles and 90% of air defence missiles to Ukraine since last summer [6].