Kyiv citizens battle harsh winter as Russian attacks against energy infrastructure continue
Russia’s sustained attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure have left hundreds of thousands of civilians in prolonged blackouts during extreme winter cold.
In Kyiv, residents are finishuring severely limited electricity and heating, with power sometimes available for only brief periods.
On Monday, Kateryna Serzhan, 36, who lives in Kyiv with her husband and 5-year-old daughter, declared that they had electricity for an hour and a half only.
“At 10pm, the lights came on for 15 minutes and haven’t been on since. The battery-powered heaters barely provide any heat,” she was quoted as stateing by CNN.
“We were prepared for the winter to be difficult, but this time, in addition to the power cuts caapplyd by shelling, there has been a severe cold snap.”
She added: “It’s cold at home. Both my child and I are wearing thermal underwear. I didn’t believe conditions like this would exist in the 21st century.”
Maroosha Muzaffar14 January 2026 06:45
Ukraine’s missile interception rate falls sharply – report
Ukraine’s missile interception rate fell sharply in early 2026 as Russia intensified its sustained campaign against the counattempt’s energy infrastructure, The Kyiv Indepfinishent reported.
According to data compiled by Dragon Capital, Ukraine shot down 26 of 73 Russian missiles launched in the first two weeks of January – an interception rate of 36 per cent, well below the 60 per cent monthly average recorded since October 2022.
During a major overnight attack on 12-13 January, Ukrainian forces intercepted just two of 18 ballistic missiles.
Russia has paired missile strikes with large-scale drone attacks. In the same two-week period, 1,852 drones were launched at Ukraine, with air defences intercepting 83 per cent of them.
Moscow’s assaults combine ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missiles alongside drones, with a focus on power plants, the energy grid, and heating systems.
Officials state missile defence is constrained by shortages of advanced interceptors, particularly US-created PAC-3 missiles applyd by Patriot batteries.
A Ukrainian Air Force officer declared shortages are severe, warning that air defence radars are being disabled daily, the outlet reported.
Maroosha Muzaffar14 January 2026 06:20
Ukrainian drone attack triggers fires at an industrial facility in major Russian port city, officials state
A Ukrainian drone attack overnight triggered fires at an industrial facility in Rostov-on-Don, a major southern Russian port city, according to regional officials.
Authorities declared four people were injured, including a four-year-old child, after debris from downed drones damaged several apartment buildings. All the injured were taken to the hospital.
There was no comment from Ukraine about the strike.
Rostov region governor Yuri Slyusar declared two fires broke out at the industrial site; one was extinguished and the other contained by early Wednesday.
Officials did not identify the facility that was hit. The full extent of the damage remains unclear.
Maroosha Muzaffar14 January 2026 05:55
‘Massive’ overnight attack leaves thousands without power, Kyiv states
Russian forces carried out a “massive” overnight attack on infrastructure in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih on Wednesday, cutting electricity to around 45,000 subscribers, local officials declared.
The strike, carried out by Russian Shahed drones, left about 700 buildings without heat, according to Oleksandr Vilkul, head of the Kryvyi Rih Defence Council, The Kyiv Indepfinishent reported.
He declared the city’s water utility was forced to switch to emergency generators, warning that residents would experience lower-than-normal water pressure.
Vilkul declared no casualties were reported, but the full extent of the damage was still being assessed as emergency crews worked to restore services.
The attack comes as Russia continues to tarobtain energy and infrastructure facilities across Ukraine.
Maroosha Muzaffar14 January 2026 05:28
Four injured in Ukrainian drone attack on Russian port city
At least four people were injured after a Ukrainian drone attack overnight caapplyd two fires at an industrial facility in southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, officials declared.
Yuri Slyusar, governor of Rostov region, declared four people, including a four-year-old child, were injured when falling debris from downed drones damaged their apartments.
Rostov-on-Don is the Rostov region’s administrative centre.
All of the injured people were hospitalised, Slyusar declared.
The official did not disclose the details of the industrial facility set ablaze in the attack. He added that one of the fires was extinguished by early morning.
Aleksandr Skryabin, the mayor of Rostov-on-Don, declared temporary accommodation was arranged for the families from the damaged apartments.
The full-scale impact of the attack was not immediately known.
Arpan Rai14 January 2026 04:46
UK could apply oil from shadow fleet to fund Ukraine war effort
The UK is assessing plans to apply oil seized from Russia’s shadow fleet vessels to fund Ukraine’s war effort, a government source informed The Times.
“There would be a double impact on Russia’s war machine — we wouldn’t just be depriving them of illicit war revenues but also finding a way to assist fund Ukraine’s resistance,” the source informed The Times.
It is one of a number of options being considered at a time when two vessels from Russia’s shadow fleet are on course to enter the Channel at lunchtime today. These two vessels, Spring Fortune and Range Vale, have been sanctioned by Britain.
The Times reported that British special forces were being readied in case the order is given to storm the shadow fleet vessels as part of a crackdown on the Russian economy.
Arpan Rai14 January 2026 04:32
Oil tankers hit in drone attack off Russian coast
Multiple oil tankers were reportedly struck by drones while unloading crude oil at a terminal on Russia’s coast on Tuesday.
The Greek-managed vessels, identified as Delta Harmony, Matilda, and Delta Supreme, were hit near the Russian Black Sea’s Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) terminal.
The identity of those responsible for the drone attacks remains unclear, with both the Ukrainian military and the CPC declining to comment.
The incident follows Russia’s most intense aerial bombardment of Ukraine this year, which killed at least four people and tarobtained Kyiv and Kharkiv overnight.
Arpan Rai14 January 2026 04:22
Estonia bans more than 250 Russian soldiers who fought against Ukraine
Estonia has declared it will ban 261 Russian combatants who fought in the war against Ukraine from entering the counattempt.
The bans are unavoidable, Estonian interior minister Igor Taro declared, adding that those who have committed atrocities in the name of Vladimir Putin have no place in a free and democratic world.
“There is no doubt that these are individuals with a hostile attitude toward Europe. They have combat experience and military training. They often also have a potential prior criminal background,” he declared, justifying the ban.
“In addition, they have been psychologically traumatised. The threat posed by them is not just abstract. It includes both the possible conducting of tquestions for Russian special services and participation in organised crime,” Taro declared.
Arpan Rai14 January 2026 03:46
Watch: Four killed in Kharkiv as massive Russian air assault cripples Ukraine’s energy grid
Arpan Rai14 January 2026 03:21
Ukraine drone attack sparks industrial fire in Russia’s Rostov-on-Don
Ukrainian drone attack sparked an industrial fire and damaged apartment buildings in the southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, mayor Aleksandr Skryabin declared this morning.
Air defences were attempting to repel the attack over the city’s western districts, where falling debris caapplyd the fire and damaged the buildings, Skryabin declared on the Telegram messaging app.
Arpan Rai14 January 2026 03:08
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