Russia has launched a devastating series of drone and missile strikes targeting Ukraine's two largest cities, Kyiv and Kharkiv, in a deadly assault that occurred early on Saturday. This aggressive military action unfolded as negotiators from the United States, Ukraine, and Russia convened for the second day of tripartite peace talks in the United Arab Emirates, casting serious doubt on Moscow's commitment to diplomatic resolutions.
Casualties and Damage in Kyiv
In Kyiv, the capital city already grappling with widespread outages of heat, water, and power due to previous Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, officials reported one person killed and at least fifteen injured in the strikes that persisted until morning. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed the fatality in a social media post, noting that four individuals were wounded, with three of them requiring hospitalisation.
Fires erupted in several buildings struck by drone debris, further exacerbating the crisis by interrupting heat and water services in parts of the capital. Klitschko highlighted the severity of the situation, stating that approximately 1,940 residential buildings in Kyiv remained without heating after renewed attacks, and warned that "this may not be the most difficult moment yet."
Worsening Energy Crisis
The attacks have intensified a mid-winter energy crisis in Kyiv, where many residents have been left without heat and power for extended periods. According to Klitschko's office, around 600,000 residents have temporarily evacuated the city during the January power crisis, which has plunged entire blocks into darkness. Emergency workers are tirelessly engaged in restoring services, with overnight temperatures plummeting to a frigid –13°C (9°F).
Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv's military administration, reported strikes in at least four districts, including damage to a medical facility. This marks the third mass overnight attack Kyiv has endured this year, each knocking out power and heating to hundreds of residential buildings and straining recovery efforts.
Kharkiv Under Siege
In Kharkiv, a city frequently targeted due to its proximity just 30km (18 miles) from the Russian border, Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported that 25 drones struck several districts over a two-and-a-half-hour period, injuring at least fourteen people. Writing on Telegram, Terekhov detailed that the drones hit a dormitory for displaced people, a hospital, and a maternity hospital, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the attacks on civilian infrastructure.
Context of Peace Talks
These latest assaults occurred after negotiators from Ukraine, Russia, and the US completed the first of two days of peace talks aimed at finding a resolution to the nearly four-year-old conflict. The timing of the strikes, in the midst of these discussions, aligns with Russia's continued insistence on controlling the eastern Donbas region of Ukraine, raising significant questions about Moscow's sincerity in pursuing peace.
The juxtaposition of deadly military aggression with diplomatic negotiations highlights the complex and volatile dynamics of the war, as civilians in Kyiv and Kharkiv bear the brunt of the violence amidst a deepening humanitarian and energy crisis.
