Russian drone and missile strikes hit Kharkiv on Monday, knocking out power to 80% of Ukraine’s second-largest city and the surrounding region, local officials said. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said an “energy site” was targeted as night-time temperatures dropped to -14C. The capital, Kyiv, has also suffered three massive air attacks since the New Year, leaving hundreds of buildings without power and heating.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte has warned that Ukraine faces its “harshest winter” in over a decade. Speaking to the European parliament on Monday, he urged flexibility on EU funds and welcomed the French seizure of a suspected shadow fleet tanker. On peace talks, Rutte said the aim should be a deal or long-term ceasefire “as soon as possible”, but acknowledged that Ukraine’s security is also Europe’s. He noted that territory remains a “very sensitive” issue, with only Ukraine able to decide on compromises. Reports from the Financial Times suggest the Trump administration has indicated that security guarantees depend on Kyiv ceding the Donbas region, though this has not been verified.
Another Russian attack damaged parts of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, a Unesco world heritage site and Ukraine’s spiritual centre. The culture ministry reported damage to doors and window frames from an overnight strike on Saturday. Separately, Russia’s top general, Valery Gerasimov, claimed Russian forces had captured 17 settlements and over 500 square kilometres of territory in January. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has viewed sculptures for a memorial for soldiers killed in Ukraine, while an Associated Press investigation found that Bangladeshi workers were lured to Russia with false promises of civilian jobs and forced onto the battlefield.
