The Ministry of Defence has announced it will develop new tactical ballistic missiles for Ukraine, code-naming the initiative "Project Nightfall".
Defence secretary John Healey said the UK was determined to arm Ukrainians with advanced weapons to fight back against Vladimir Putin's invasion.
The new missiles will have a conventional 200kg warhead and be capable of striking targets at a range of 500km – deep inside Russian territory.
Healey said last week's hypersonic missile strike on western Ukraine showed "how Putin thinks he can act with impunity, targeting civilian areas with advanced weaponry".
The defence secretary was in the Ukrainian capital when that attack took place, and heard the air raid sirens at the time.
Later on Monday the UN Security Council is due to hold an emergency meeting to discuss Russia's use of its Oreshnik hypersonic missile just 60 miles from the border of Nato member Poland.
Russia has claimed the Oreshnik strike was retaliation for an attempted Ukrainian drone attack on one of Putin’s residences, an allegation Kyiv denies.
Key Points
- UK says it will develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine’s defence against Russia
- Ukraine says UN Security Council to meet on Russian hypersonic missile strike
- Europe's leaders condemn Russia's bombardment of Ukraine as 'escalatory and unacceptable'
- Trump says Putin 'fears the US but not Europe'
- UK allocates £200m to prepare for possible Ukraine deployment
UK says it will develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine’s defence against Russia
05:23 , Arpan RaiThe UK says it will develop new tactical ballistic missiles for Kyiv and put “leading-edge weapons into the hands of Ukrainians” for their fight against Russia.
Code-named “Project Nightfall”, the missiles will help boost Ukrainian firepower and be capable of striking targets deep inside Russia, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement late on Sunday.
The Nightfall missiles will carry a 200kg conventional high-explosive warhead and cost a maximum £800,000 per unit, the MoD announced, adding that it plans to produce 10 systems per month.
Project Nightfall: UK says it will develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine
More than 1,000 Kyiv apartment buildings still without heating on Sunday
05:08 , Arpan RaiMore than 1,000 apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv were still without heating following a devastating Russian attack earlier this week, local authorities said on Sunday.
Russia has intensified bombardments of Ukraine's energy system since it invaded its neighbour in 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched 1,100 drones, more than 890 guided aerial bombs and over 50 missiles, including ballistic, cruise and medium-range weapons, against Ukraine over the past week.
On Friday, a missile strike on Kyiv left virtually the entire city without power and heating amid a sharp cold snap, and it was not until Sunday that authorities restored water supplies and partially restored electricity and heating.
Chechen leader Kadyrov suffers kidney failure, Ukrainian defence sources say
04:45 , Arpan RaiChechen leader and close Russian ally Ramzan Kadyrov is undergoing dialysis due to kidney failure, sources in Ukraine’s defence intelligence said, according to local media reports.
Kadyrov’s health has deteriorated, according to local Ukrainian outlets Interfax-Ukraine and Ukrinform.
Kadyrov is a key ally of Russian president Vladimir Putin and seen as one of the most powerful and feared men in Moscow.
He has reportedly been admitted to a private hospital in Chechnya where his family members have gathered, including some who have travelled in from abroad.
Zelensky says every strike on Russia 'brings end of war closer'
04:18 , Arpan RaiUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said that his forces were working on new operations targeting Russia, alongside those that are already underway.
“It is still too early to speak publicly about some of the operations – ones that the Russians have already felt. Some of the operations are still underway. I also approved new ones,” he said.
“We are actively defending ourselves, and every Russian loss brings the end of the war closer. Our deep strikes, special measures – all of this, of course, must continue,” the war-time president said.
How ready is the UK to send troops to Ukraine? Join The Independent Debate
03:59 , Arpan RaiAs Prime Minister Keir Starmer signs a historic deal to deploy British troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement with Russia, questions are mounting over whether the UK is ready for such a commitment.
Sir Richard Shirreff, former deputy commander of Nato, cautiously welcomed the pledge, but stressed that any UK deployment must “have the right numbers, the means, and there’s got to be proper capabilities.”
He told LBC this week: “There’s not going to be a peace until Russia is forced into it. At least now there is a clear plan from France and the UK to provide a reassurance force or an enforcement force.”
Other experts have also cautioned that a deployment of 10,000 troops could strain the Regular Army, the RAF, and the Royal Navy, and that significantly larger numbers would be needed to have any real impact on the ground.
We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments and vote in the poll below – the most compelling responses will be featured in the coming days.
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Have your say: How ready is the UK to send troops to Ukraine?
Watch: Russia unleashes ‘Oreshnik’ hypersonic missile on freezing civilians
03:40 , Arpan RaiBritain to develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine's defence
03:24 , Arpan RaiThe UK has announced it will develop new tactical ballistic missiles under Project Nightfall to put “leading edge weaponsinto the hands of Ukrainians”.
The ballistic missiles will boost Ukraine’s firepower to defend itself from Russian president Vladimir Putin’s war machine, the Ministry of Defence said last night.
“Under Project Nightfall, the UK has launched a competition to rapidly develop ground-launched ballistic missiles with a range of more than 500 kilometres and designed to operate in high-threat battlefields with heavy electromagnetic interference,” it said.
The missiles will allow Ukrainian forces to hit key military targets before Russian forces can respond as the Nightfall missiles will be “capable of being launched from a range of vehicles, firing multiple missiles in quick succession and withdrawing within minutes”, the ministry said.
“With a 200kg conventional high explosive warhead, high precision production rate of 10 systems per month and a maximum price of £800,000 per missile, NIGHTFALL is intended to provide Ukraine with a powerful, cost-effective long-range strike option, with minimal foreign export controls,” the MoD said.
Dark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water
03:00 , Dan HaygarthAs Ukraine is gripped by a bitter cold snap, more than one million people have been left without heating and electricity as Russia ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
Elderly residents and those with vulnerable family members told The Independent they are cold and unable to cook proper meals as they face temperatures as low as -15C.
Despondent and fearing death, many are struggling through the winter as blackouts plunge Ukraine’s cities into darkness, lit up only by the bright flash of Russian drone and missile attacks.
“It gives you depression,” 33-year-old Dnipro resident Kyril Tulenev says. “You cannot do anything. You cannot check the news. You cannot properly use your things. Sometimes you cannot call anyone because there is no connection.”
Read the full report by Alex Croft:
Russian overnight attack sparks fire in Kyiv, Ukraine military says
02:58 , Arpan RaiRussia has launched an overnight air attack on Kyiv, sparking a fire in one of the city's districts, the Ukrainian military said this morning.
Ukrainian air defence units were trying to repel the attack, Timur Tkachenko, head of Kyiv's military administration, said on his Telegram channel.
Britain in talks with Nato to counter Russia and China in the Arctic
02:49 , Arpan RaiBritain is discussing with Nato allies how it can help beef up security in the Arctic to counter threats from Russia and China, a government minister said.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander said the talks are "business as usual" rather than a response to recent threats by US president Donald Trump to take over Greenland.
Trump has said that he would like to make a deal to acquire Greenland, a semiautonomous region of Nato ally Denmark, to prevent Russia or China from taking it over.
He said on Sunday night that making a deal for Greenland would be "easier" and insisted the US needed to acquire it. "One way or the other, we're going to have Greenland," he told reporters aboard Air Force One as he flew back to Washington.
The UK agrees with Trump that Russia and China are increasingly becoming more competitive in the Arctic Circle, Alexander said.
“Whilst we haven't seen the appalling consequences in that part of the world that we've seen in Ukraine, it is really important that we do everything that we can with all of our Nato allies to ensure that we have an effective deterrent in that part of the globe against (Russian president Vladimir) Putin," Alexander told the BBC.
Svyrydenko: 'Not one day in past week without attacks on energy facilities'
02:15 , Dan HaygarthUkraine's energy ministry said on Sunday that Russian forces had attacked the country's power system again during the night, briefly cutting off electricity to the south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
"Not a single day passed this week without attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure. A total of 44 attacks were recorded," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram.
Svyrydenko said the restoration of heat and electricity supplies was proceeding at a record pace, noting significant improvements in Kyiv would require time but could be reached by Thursday
More than 1,000 Kyiv apartment buildings still without heating on Sunday
01:30 , Dan HaygarthMore than 1,000 apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv were still without heating following a devastating Russian attack earlier this week, local authorities said on Sunday.
Russia has intensified bombardments of Ukraine's energy system since it invaded its neighbour in 2022.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russia had launched 1,100 drones, more than 890 guided aerial bombs and over 50 missiles, including ballistic, cruise and medium-range weapons, against Ukraine over the past week.
On Friday, a missile strike on Kyiv left virtually the entire city without power and heating amid a sharp cold snap, and it was not until Sunday that authorities restored water supplies and partially restored electricity and heating.
Comment: Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
00:45 , Tara CobhamShortly before Christmas, the new chief of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, made her first public speech since taking charge. She chose as her subject the multifaceted threat posed by Russia, warning of the growing danger from Vladimir Putin’s regime. “We are operating in a space between peace and war,” she said.
The recently appointed “C” said “the front line is everywhere”, explaining that Putin is provoking a new “age of uncertainty” by busily rewriting the unwritten rules of conflict. “The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in the Russian approach to international engagement,” said Metreweli.
This week has seen the cementing of the axis between the UK, France and Germany with the promise of troops on the ground to monitor peace in Ukraine, a move that is bound to antagonise Putin. Concerns about Russian retaliation are growing still further following the boarding of a tanker in Russia’s “shadow fleet” by US forces off the British coast. The involvement of the Royal Navy will have been noticed and noted in Moscow. The hostility continues to ramp up in intensity.
Chris Blackhurst writes:
Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
Watch: Trump says the US has to take over Greenland to stop China and Russia invading
00:00 , Tara CobhamUK to develop new deep-strike ballistic missile
Sunday 11 January 2026 23:15 , Dan HaygarthThe British government said on Sunday that it will develop a new deep-strike ballistic missile for Ukraine to use.
Under the project, named Nightfall, the British government said it has launched a competition to rapidly develop ground-launched ballistic missiles that could carry a 200 kg (440 lb) warhead over a range of more than 310 miles.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “The attacks overnight on Thursday just go to show how Putin thinks he can act with impunity, targeting civilian areas with advanced weaponry.
“Instead of seriously negotiating a peace, he’s seriously escalating his illegal war.
“We were close enough to hear the air raid sirens around Lviv on our journey to Kyiv, it was a serious moment and a stark reminder of the barrage of drones and missiles hitting Ukrainians in sub-zero conditions.
“We won’t stand for this, which is why we are determined to put leading edge weapons into the hands of Ukrainians as they fight back.”
UK and Nato allies boosting Arctic defence as Trump ramps up Greenland pressure
Sunday 11 January 2026 22:30 , Tara CobhamThe UK is working with Nato allies to bolster security in the Arctic, a Cabinet minister said following reports British troops could be sent to Greenland.
US President Donald Trump has insisted he wants control over Greenland and has not ruled out the prospect of using military force to seize the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said discussions about securing the High North against Russia and China were part of Nato's "business as usual" rather than a response to the US military threat.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that military chiefs are drawing up plans for a possible Nato mission to Greenland which could involve British soldiers, warships and planes being deployed to the island.
But Ms Alexander told BBC One's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg the report "possibly reads something more into business as usual discussions amongst Nato allies than there actually are".
She said the UK agreed with President Trump that the Arctic Circle "is becoming an increasingly contested part of the world with the ambitions of (Vladimir) Putin and China".
"Whilst we haven't seen the appalling consequences in that part of the world that we've seen in Ukraine, it is really important that we do everything that we can with all of our Nato allies to ensure that we have an effective deterrent in that part of the globe against Putin."
Watch: Zelensky claims Russia lost 35,000 military personnel in December
Sunday 11 January 2026 21:45 , Tara CobhamExplained: What you need to know about Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile
Sunday 11 January 2026 21:00 , Tara CobhamThe Russian military said it had fired its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in Ukraine in response to what it described as an attempted Ukrainian drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences, something Kyiv has called a lie.
It is the second time that Russia has used the intermediate-range Oreshnik, a missile which President Vladimir Putin has boasted is impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound.
The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads as well as conventional ones, but there was no suggestion that the one used in the overnight attack had been fitted with anything other than a conventional warhead.
Read more here:
What you need to know about Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile
Ukrainian drone strike kills one and wounds three in Russia's Voronezh
Sunday 11 January 2026 20:15 , Tara CobhamA Ukrainian drone strike killed one person and wounded three others in the Russian city of Voronezh, local officials said.
A young woman died overnight in a hospital intensive care unit after debris from a drone fell on a house during the attack on Saturday, regional governor Alexander Gusev said on Telegram.
Three other people were wounded and more than 10 apartment buildings, private houses and a high school were damaged, he said.
He added that air defences shot down 17 drones over Voronezh, a city that is home to more than one million people and lies some 155 miles (250km) from the Ukrainian border.
Watch: Russian drone attack on Kyiv kills four and triggers fires
Sunday 11 January 2026 19:30 , Tara CobhamHow ready is the UK to send troops to Ukraine? Join The Independent Debate
Sunday 11 January 2026 18:45 , Tara CobhamAs Prime Minister Keir Starmer signs a historic deal to deploy British troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement with Russia, questions are mounting over whether the UK is ready for such a commitment.
Sir Richard Shirreff, former deputy commander of Nato, cautiously welcomed the pledge, but stressed that any UK deployment must “have the right numbers, the means, and there’s got to be proper capabilities.”
He told LBC this week: “There’s not going to be a peace until Russia is forced into it. At least now there is a clear plan from France and the UK to provide a reassurance force or an enforcement force.”
Other experts have also cautioned that a deployment of 10,000 troops could strain the Regular Army, the RAF, and the Royal Navy, and that significantly larger numbers would be needed to have any real impact on the ground.
We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments and vote in the poll below – the most compelling responses will be featured in the coming days.
Have your say: How ready is the UK to send troops to Ukraine?
Ukraine says it hit 3 drilling platforms operated by Russian oil giant
Sunday 11 January 2026 18:00 , Tara CobhamUkraine's general staff said on Sunday that its forces hit three drilling platforms operated by Russian oil giant Lukoil in the waters of the Caspian Sea.
Ukraine's long-range drone strikes on Russian energy sites aim to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue its full-scale invasion.
Watch: Zelensky warns Russia is 'betting on winter warfare' as new attack looms
Sunday 11 January 2026 17:15 , Tara CobhamUK commits £200m to prepare British troops for Ukraine deployment
Sunday 11 January 2026 16:30 , Tara CobhamThe UK will spend £200 million preparing British troops for deployment to Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire with Russia, the Defence Secretary has announced.
John Healey was speaking after a one-day visit to Kyiv on Friday, where he discussed plans for the Multinational Force Ukraine with President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The money will pay for upgrades to vehicles and communications systems, counter-drone protection and other equipment to ensure troops are ready to deploy.
Read more here:
UK commits £200m to prepare British troops for Ukraine deployment
Sweden to invest $1.6 billion in air defence systems
Sunday 11 January 2026 15:50 , Tara CobhamSweden will spend 15 billion Swedish crowns ($1.6 billion) on air defence aimed at primarily protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure, the government said on Sunday.
Sweden has, like most European countries, invested heavily in defence following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, Sweden's vast territory has remained vulnerable to aerial threats.
"The experience from the war in Ukraine clearly shows how crucial a robust and resilient air defence is," defence minister Pal Jonson told reporters at a security conference in northern Sweden.
He said Sweden would buy short-range air defence systems to protect cities, bridges, power plants and other critical infrastructure.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson criticised the US administration's "threatening rhetoric" against Greenland and Denmark, saying the US should thank Denmark for being a loyal ally.
Watch: UK defence secretary admonishes Putin for 'brutal' drone attacks on Ukraine
Sunday 11 January 2026 15:02 , Tara CobhamDark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
Sunday 11 January 2026 14:30 , Tara CobhamAs Ukraine is gripped by a bitter cold snap, more than one million people have been left without heating and electricity as Russia ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
Elderly residents and those with vulnerable family members told The Independent they are cold and unable to cook proper meals as they face temperatures as low as -15C.
Despondent and fearing death, many are struggling through the winter as blackouts plunge Ukraine’s cities into darkness, lit up only by the bright flash of Russian drone and missile attacks.
Alex Croft reports:
Dark, cold, depressed: The Ukrainians without heat or water after Russian attacks
Russia attacked Ukraine's energy grid every day this week, ministry says
Sunday 11 January 2026 14:00 , Tara CobhamUkraine's energy ministry said Russian forces had attacked the country's power system again during the night, briefly cutting off electricity to the south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
"Not a single day passed this week without attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure. A total of 44 attacks were recorded," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram.
Svyrydenko said the restoration of heat and electricity supplies was proceeding at a record pace, noting significant improvements in Kyiv would require time but could be reached by Thursday.
War's fourth winter could be coldest and darkest yet
Sunday 11 January 2026 13:30 , Tara CobhamThe war's fourth winter could be the coldest and darkest yet, with the accumulated damage to Ukraine’s energy grid bringing utilities to the brink and temperatures, already below-12C, set to plunge to -20C later this week.
"Restoration work is ongoing. However, the energy supply situation in the capital remains very difficult," Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said on Telegram.
"According to forecasts, the severe frosts are not expected to subside in the coming days. Therefore, the difficult situation in the capital will continue," he added.
Zelensky accuses Russia of 'cynical terror specifically against civilians' amid freezing weather
Sunday 11 January 2026 13:00 , Tara CobhamPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has accused Russia of deliberately waiting for freezing weather to make things worse for the Ukrainian people.
He described Russia launching more than 2,000 drones, bombs and missiles against Ukraine over the past week as “a cynical Russian terror specifically against civilians”.
Moscow made no immediate response.
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Russia launched more than 2,000 drones, bombs and missiles at Ukraine this week, Zelensky says
Sunday 11 January 2026 12:30 , Tara CobhamPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said Russia had launched 1,100 drones, more than 890 guided aerial bombs and over 50 missiles, including ballistic, cruise and medium-range weapons, against Ukraine over the past week.
On Friday, a missile strike on Kyiv left virtually the entire city without power and heating amid a sharp cold snap, and it was not until Sunday that authorities restored water supplies and partially restored electricity and heating.
30,000 in Kyiv remain without power after Russia's Friday attack, Ukrainian energy supplier says
Sunday 11 January 2026 12:18 , Tara CobhamAs many as 30,000 people in Kyiv remain without power following Russia’s Friday attack, Ukraine's largest private energy supplier, DTEK, said on Sunday.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko said around half the apartment buildings – nearly 6,000 – in snowy Kyiv were left without heat in daytime temperatures of about minus 8C.
Russia deploys new jet-powered 'Geran-5' strike drone for first time, Ukraine says
Sunday 11 January 2026 11:30 , Tara CobhamRussia deployed the new jet-powered "Geran-5" strike drone against Ukraine this month for the first time, the Ukrainian defence ministry's main intelligence directorate said on Sunday.
According to the directorate, the drone is a Russian variant of the Iranian-designed Shahed and can carry a 90-kilogram (200-pound) warhead, with a range of nearly 1,000 kilometers (620 miles).
More than 1,000 Kyiv apartment blocks still without heating after Russian strike
Sunday 11 January 2026 11:20 , Tara CobhamMore than 1,000 apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv are still without heating following a devastating Russian attack earlier this week, local authorities said on Sunday.
Russia has intensified bombardments of Ukraine's energy system since it invaded its neighbour in 2022.
On Friday, a missile strike on Kyiv left virtually the entire city without power and heating amid a sharp cold snap, and it was not until Sunday that authorities restored water supplies and partially restored electricity and heating.
The war's fourth winter could be the coldest and darkest yet, with the accumulated damage to the grid bringing utilities to the brink and temperatures, already below -12C, set to plunge to -20C later this week.
"Restoration work is ongoing. However, the energy supply situation in the capital remains very difficult," Kyiv Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said on Telegram.
"According to forecasts, the severe frosts are not expected to subside in the coming days. Therefore, the difficult situation in the capital will continue," he added.
Ukraine's energy ministry said Russian forces had attacked the country's power system again during the night, briefly cutting off electricity to the south-eastern Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions.
"Not a single day passed this week without attacks on energy facilities and critical infrastructure. A total of 44 attacks were recorded," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram.
Russia bombarded Ukraine with 'hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles including hypersonic missile'
Sunday 11 January 2026 10:36 , Tara CobhamRussia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, killing at least four people in the capital Kyiv, according to Ukrainian officials.
For only the second time in the nearly four-year war, Russia used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv and Nato.
The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further aggression by Moscow if a US-led peace deal is struck.
The United Nations Security Council is set to hold an emergency meeting on Monday after Russia used its new Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missile in the major strike on Ukraine.
Watch: Kemi Badenoch raises fears Nato could collapse
Sunday 11 January 2026 10:00 , Tara CobhamRussian troops 'capture village in Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia region'
Sunday 11 January 2026 09:39 , Tara CobhamRussian forces took control of the village of Bilohirya in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia region, a Russian state news agency reported on Sunday, citing the defence ministry.
Moscow's troops carried out strikes targeting a Ukrainian military-industrial enterprise and energy facilities, TASS cited the ministry as saying.
The battlefield reports could not be independently confirmed.
Ukrainian negotiators 'continue to communicate with US', Zelensky says
Sunday 11 January 2026 09:00 , Tara CobhamUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in his nightly address on Saturday that Ukrainian negotiators “continue to communicate with the American side”.
Chief negotiator Rustem Umerov was in contact with US partners on Saturday, he said.
Ukraine says Russia targeted it with 154 drones overnight
Sunday 11 January 2026 08:35 , Tara CobhamUkraine's General Staff said Russia targeted Ukraine with 154 drones overnight into Sunday.
It added that 125 were shot down.
How ready is the UK to send troops to Ukraine? Join The Independent Debate
Sunday 11 January 2026 08:00 , Shahana YasminAs Prime Minister Keir Starmer signs a historic deal to deploy British troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace agreement with Russia, questions are mounting over whether the UK is ready for such a commitment.
Sir Richard Shirreff, former deputy commander of Nato, cautiously welcomed the pledge, but stressed that any UK deployment must “have the right numbers, the means, and there’s got to be proper capabilities.”
Should the UK follow through on its pledge to Ukraine, or are there limits to what its armed forces can realistically achieve?
We want to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments and vote – the most compelling responses will be featured in the coming days.
Have your say: How ready is the UK to send troops to Ukraine?
Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
Sunday 11 January 2026 07:30 , Shahana YasminShortly before Christmas, the new chief of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, made her first public speech since taking charge. She chose as her subject the multifaceted threat posed by Russia, warning of the growing danger from Vladimir Putin’s regime. “We are operating in a space between peace and war,” she said.
The recently appointed “C” said “the front line is everywhere”, explaining that Putin is provoking a new “age of uncertainty” by busily rewriting the unwritten rules of conflict. “The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in the Russian approach to international engagement,” said Metreweli.
Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
1 dead after after Ukrainian drone attack on Voronezh
Sunday 11 January 2026 07:10 , Shahana YasminOne woman was killed and at least three other people injured in an overnight Ukrainian drone attack on the city of Voronezh, according to regional governor Alexander Gusev.
Gusev said on Telegram that the strike damaged more than 10 apartment blocks, around 10 private homes, a secondary school, and several administrative buildings.
“Our city was subjected to one of the heaviest drone attacks since the start of the special military operation,” he wrote.
Reuters could not independently verify the reports.
Voronezh lies several hundred kilometres from both Moscow and the Ukrainian border.
Ukraine has acknowledged carrying out strikes inside Russia, saying they are aimed at weakening Moscow’s war effort and responding to repeated missile and drone attacks on Ukrainian cities and infrastructure.
‘If not power, then at least heat’: Kyiv residents endure freezing homes
Sunday 11 January 2026 06:50 , Shahana YasminKyiv’s residents were left huddling in unheated apartments on Saturday as repairs continued after Russian strikes knocked out power, water, and heating across the city.
Galina Turchin, a 71-year-old pensioner living on Kyiv’s eastern bank, said she had not cooked for two days after utilities were cut again. A window in her flat was covered with plastic sheeting after drone debris damaged her building.
“We hope they will give us heat. If not power, then at least heat,” she told Reuters, standing wrapped in layers inside her kitchen as temperatures dropped well below freezing.
City authorities said outages were linked to damage from earlier strikes on the power grid. While some electricity and heating were gradually restored, officials warned the system remains under severe strain as the war enters its fourth winter.
Zelensky warns Russia is 'betting on winter warfare' as new attack looms
Sunday 11 January 2026 06:30 , Shahana YasminExtra defence spending is being lost on MoD’s overdraft, warns former RAF chief
Sunday 11 January 2026 06:13 , Shahana YasminThe former head of the RAF has warned that increased defence spending in the UK is being “eaten up by the Ministry of Defence (MoD)’s overdraft” with the UK’s military footprint shrinking at a critical moment.
The intervention by retired Air Marshall Edward Stringer comes just days after Sir Keir Starmer committed sending UK troops to Ukraine as part of the coalition of the willing to protect any peace agreement from Russian aggression.
But it represents the third warning by a former member of the UK’s military top brass in less than a week over how the UK’s commitments to Ukraine and elsewhere are not matched by resources in the armed forces and manpower.
Extra defence spending is being lost on MoD’s overdraft, warns former RAF chief
What you need to know about Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile
Sunday 11 January 2026 05:49 , Shahana YasminThe Russian military fired its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at Kyiv on Friday, killing at least four civilians and leaving 500,000 without power during severe winter conditions.
It is the second time that Russia has used the intermediate-range Oreshnik, a missile which President Vladimir Putin has boasted is impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound.
Experts say the novel feature of the Oreshnik is that it can carry multiple warheads capable of simultaneously striking different targets - usually associated with longer-range intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Like many Russian weapons systems, it is capable of carrying nuclear as well as conventional warheads, but there was no suggestion of any nuclear component to the overnight attack.
Ukraine says UN Security Council to meet on Russian missile strike
Sunday 11 January 2026 05:12 , Shahana YasminUkraine’s foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said the United Nations Security Council will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to discuss Russia’s latest large-scale attack on Ukraine.
In a post on X, Sybiha wrote: “The meeting will address Russia’s flagrant breaches of the UN Charter. We urge Security Council members to demonstrate unity of purpose by demanding an end to the aggression, protection of civilians, and unwavering support for Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Following our urgent request in the wake of Russia's recent attacks on Ukraine, which included the use of an intermediate-range ballistic missile, the UN Security Coauncil will convene an emergency meeting on Monday, January 12th, 10 pm Kyiv time.
— Andrii Sybiha 🇺🇦 (@andrii_sybiha) January 10, 2026
The meeting will address…
“Russian attacks undermine international security and peace efforts by the United States, European states, and other partners. The international community must act now to ensure accountability, increase pressure on the aggressor, and restore a lasting peace.”
The overnight strike on Friday was one of the most intense in recent weeks, killing four civilians in Kyiv and knocking out heat and power supplies during freezing winter temperatures.
Russia has said the attack was retaliation for Ukrainian strikes inside Russian territory, a claim rejected by Kyiv.
Dark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
Sunday 11 January 2026 04:50 , Shahana YasminAs Ukraine is gripped by a bitter cold snap, more than one million people have been left without heating and electricity as Russia ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
Elderly residents and those with vulnerable family members told The Independent they are cold and unable to cook proper meals as they face temperatures as low as -15C.
Despondent and fearing death, many are struggling through the winter as blackouts plunge Ukraine’s cities into darkness, lit up only by the bright flash of Russian drone and missile attacks.
Vulnerable residents tell Alex Croft that life under Russian assault is as difficult as ever.
Dark, cold, depressed: The Ukrainians without heat or water after Russian attacks
Ukraine confirms strike on oil depot in Russia’s Volgograd region
Sunday 11 January 2026 04:30 , Shahana YasminUkraine’s General Staff said its forces carried out a drone attack overnight on Saturday on an oil depot in Russia’s Volgograd Oblast, saying the facility was supplying fuel to Russian occupation forces.
In a statement on Facebook published on Saturday, the General Staff said Ukrainian drones hit the Zhutovskaya oil depot in the Oktyabrsky district as part of efforts to weaken Russia’s military capabilities, reported the Kyiv Independent.
Russian authorities separately reported a drone attack in the region that sparked a fire at an oil facility, saying debris from a downed drone fell on the depot. Governor Andrey Bocharov said air defence systems were responding. No casualties were reported.
Russia reports Ukrainian drone strike on Voronezh
Sunday 11 January 2026 04:17 , Shahana YasminRussian authorities say an overnight Ukrainian drone attack injured at least four people and damaged residential buildings in the southern city of Voronezh.
The governor of the Voronezh region, Alexander Gusev, said on Telegram on Sunday that an emergency services facility, seven apartment blocks, and six houses were hit.
Reuters said it could not independently verify the claims.
UN Security Council will hold emergency meeting on latest Russian strike, Ukraine says
Sunday 11 January 2026 03:00 , Dan HaygarthUkraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Saturday that the UN Security Council would hold an emergency meeting on January12 to discuss Russia's latest large-scale attack, which used an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.
"The meeting will address Russia’s flagrant breaches of the U.N. Charter," Sybiha wrote on X.
Zelenskiy says Ukraine's top negotiator spoke with US on Saturday
Sunday 11 January 2026 02:30 , Dan HaygarthUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the country’s lead negotiator Rustem Umerov spoke with representatives of the United States on Saturday as Kyiv and Washington seek to agree on a framework to end Russia's war in Ukraine.
"We continue to communicate with the American side on practically a daily basis," Zelenskiy wrote on the Telegram app.
Trump says ‘Putin is afraid of the US but not Europe’
Sunday 11 January 2026 02:00 , Dan HaygarthUkrainian drones set fire to Russian oil depot after Moscow launches hypersonic missile
Sunday 11 January 2026 01:30 , Daniel HaygarthA Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire at an oil depot in Russia's southern Volgograd region, regional authorities said on Saturday.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, the regional governor was quoted as saying in a Telegram post published on the channel of the local administration.
The post did not specify the damage, but said that people living near the depot may have to be evacuated.
Ukraine's long-range drone strikes on Russian energy sites aim to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue its full-scale invasion. Russia wants to cripple the Ukrainian power grid, seeking to deny civilians access to heat, light and running water in what Kyiv officials say is an attempt to "weaponize winter."
Saturday's attack came the day after Russia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, according to Ukrainian officials, killing at least four people in the capital.
For only the second time in the nearly four-year-old war, it used a powerful, new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine on Friday in a clear warning to Kyiv's NATO allies.
More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water
Sunday 11 January 2026 01:00 , Dan HaygarthAs Ukraine is gripped by a bitter cold snap, more than one million people have been left without heating and electricity as Russia ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
Elderly residents and those with vulnerable family members told The Independent they are cold and unable to cook proper meals as they face temperatures as low as -15C.
Despondent and fearing death, many are struggling through the winter as blackouts plunge Ukraine’s cities into darkness, lit up only by the bright flash of Russian drone and missile attacks.
Read the full article:
Dark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
Russia frees French political scholar in a prisoner swap for a basketball player
Sunday 11 January 2026 00:00 , Tara CobhamLaurent Vinatier, a French political scholar serving a three-year sentence in Russia and facing new charges of espionage, has been freed in a prisoner swap with France, officials said Thursday.
French President Emmanuel Macron said on X that Vinatier is "free and back in France,” expressing “relief” and “gratitude” to diplomatic staff for their efforts to win his release.
In exchange, Russian basketball player Daniil Kasatkin, jailed in France and whose extradition was demanded by the United States, was released and returned to Russia on Thursday, Russia’s Federal Security Service, or FSB, said in a statement.
Read more here:
Russia frees French political scholar in a prisoner swap for a basketball player
Watch: Zelensky claims Russia lost 35,000 military personnel in December
Saturday 10 January 2026 23:15 , Tara CobhamUkrainian drone attack injures four, damages buildings, governor says
Saturday 10 January 2026 22:43 , Dan HaygarthAn overnight Ukrainian drone attack injured at least four people and damaged buildings in the southern Russia city of Voronezh, governor of the Voronezh region said on Sunday.
An emergency service facility, seven apartment buildings and six houses were damaged as a result of the attack, the governor, Alexander Gusev, said on the Telegram messaging app.
Russia says it attacked Ukrainian energy facilities and fuel-storage depots on Saturday
Saturday 10 January 2026 22:30 , Tara CobhamRussia's Defense Ministry said Saturday that its forces used aviation, drones, missiles and artillery to strike Ukrainian energy facilities and fuel-storage depots.
Russia struck Ukraine with 121 drones and one Iskander-M ballistic missile, according to the Ukrainian air force. It said 94 drones were shot down.
Is the UK really ready to put boots on the ground in Ukraine? Britain’s dwindling military might in numbers
Saturday 10 January 2026 21:45 , Tara CobhamPrime Minister Keir Starmer has signed a historic deal to deploy British troops to Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia.
But his pledge has drawn scepticism amid growing concern about the UK’s military capabilities and dwindling troop numbers during an increasingly precarious global climate.
Reform leader Nigel Farage derided the commitment, saying the UK is in “no position” to put boots on the ground in Ukraine during a press conference on Wednesday. “With what boots? he asked. “What kit? We might be able to go for six to eight weeks but … We’re in no position to do it.”
Maira Butt reports:
Is UK ready to put boots on ground in Ukraine? Britain’s military might in numbers
Watch: Russian drone attack on Kyiv kills four and triggers fires
Saturday 10 January 2026 21:00 , Tara CobhamUkrainian PM says heat supply fully restored in Kyiv by end of Saturday
Saturday 10 January 2026 20:15 , Tara CobhamUkrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said heat supply would be fully restored in Kyiv by the end of Saturday.
She said areas on the right bank of the Dnieper River would gradually lift emergency blackouts and return to scheduled outages. But resuming power supply on the left bank, where Russian attacks were concentrated, is more complicated due to significant damage to the power grid, she added.
Ukraine ‘treating Russia’s hypersonic missile strike as a war crime’ after attack near EU border
Saturday 10 January 2026 19:31 , Tara CobhamUkraine's SBU is treating Russia's overnight Oreshnik missile strike on the western Lviv region as a war crime, alleging it targeted critical infrastructure near the EU border.
Russia stated the Lviv attack was in retaliation for an alleged drone attack on a Vladimir Putin residence, a claim Kyiv has denied.
This marks the second deployment of the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile, which possesses nuclear capabilities and is noted for its high velocity, making it difficult to intercept.
Read more here:
Ukraine ‘treating Russia’s hypersonic missile strike as a war crime’
Watch: Zelensky warns Russia is 'betting on winter warfare' as new attack looms
Saturday 10 January 2026 18:45 , Tara CobhamRussia's attack caused 'significant civilian casualties' in Ukraine, UN says
Saturday 10 January 2026 18:00 , Tara CobhamRussia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles overnight into Friday, according to Ukrainian officials, killing at least four people in the capital. For only the second time in the nearly 4-year-old war, it used a powerful new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv's NATO allies.
The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile followed reports of major progress in talks between Ukraine and its allies on how to defend the country from further Moscow aggression if a US-led peace deal is struck.
Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the UN secretary-general, said Friday's attacks "have resulted in significant civilian casualties and deprived millions of Ukrainians of essential services, including electricity, heating and water at a time of acute humanitarian need."
What you need to know about Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile
Saturday 10 January 2026 17:15 , Tara CobhamThe Russian military said it had fired its hypersonic Oreshnik missile at a target in Ukraine in response to what it described as an attempted Ukrainian drone strike on one of President Vladimir Putin's residences, something Kyiv has called a lie.
It is the second time that Russia has used the intermediate-range Oreshnik, a missile which President Vladimir Putin has boasted is impossible to intercept because of its reported velocity of more than 10 times the speed of sound.
The missile is capable of carrying nuclear warheads as well as conventional ones, but there was no suggestion that the one used in the overnight attack had been fitted with anything other than a conventional warhead.
Read more here:
What you need to know about Russia’s hypersonic Oreshnik missile
Watch: UK defence secretary admonishes Putin for 'brutal' drone attacks on Ukraine
Saturday 10 January 2026 16:30 , Tara CobhamUkraine says UN Security Council will hold emergency meeting on latest Russian strike
Saturday 10 January 2026 16:01 , Tara CobhamUkraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Saturday the UN Security Council would hold an emergency meeting on Tuesday to discuss Russia's latest large-scale attack on Ukraine, which used an Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.
"The meeting will address Russia‘s flagrant breaches of the UN Charter," Sybiha wrote on X.
Zelensky says Ukraine's top negotiator spoke with US on Saturday
Saturday 10 January 2026 15:48 , Tara CobhamUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Ukraine's lead negotiator Rustem Umerov spoke with representatives of the United States on Saturday as Kyiv and Washington seek to agree on a framework to end Russia's war in Ukraine.
"We continue to communicate with the American side on practically a daily basis," Zelensky wrote on the Telegram app.
Full story: Ukrainian drones set fire to Russian oil depot after Moscow launches new hypersonic missile
Saturday 10 January 2026 15:00 , Tara CobhamA Ukrainian drone strike sparked a fire at an oil depot in Russia’s southern Volgograd region, regional authorities said on Saturday.
There were no immediate reports of casualties, the regional governor was quoted as saying in a Telegram post published on the channel of the local administration. The post did not specify the damage, but said that people living near the depot may have to be evacuated.
Ukraine’s long-range drone strikes on Russian energy sites aim to deprive Moscow of the oil export revenue it needs to pursue its full-scale invasion. Russia wants to cripple the Ukrainian power grid, seeking to deny civilians access to heat, light and running water in what Kyiv officials say is an attempt to “weaponize winter.”
Read the full story here:
Ukrainian drones set fire to Russian oil depot after Moscow launches new hypersonic missile
Zelensky 'says Ukraine discussing possible free-trade deal with US'
Saturday 10 January 2026 14:30 , Tara CobhamVolodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is discussing a possible free-trade deal with the US, according to reports.
Speaking to Bloomberg on Friday, the Ukrainian president said his country would have “very serious cards” if such a deal were to be agreed, with tariff-free trade with the US being discussed.
Zelensky added that he has not yet spoken with Donald Trump directly about the agreement, but that he should be meeting with the US president in America or at the upcoming Davos conference in Switzerland.
Ukraine drone strike causes fire at oil depot in Russia's Volgograd region
Saturday 10 January 2026 14:02 , Tara CobhamA drone strike by Ukraine caused a fire at an oil depot in the Oktyabrskiy district in the southern part of Russia's Volgograd region, regional authorities said on Saturday.
Governor Andrei Bocharov was quoted as saying in a post on his administration's Telegram channel that there had been no casualties reported so far, but that people living nearby may have to be evacuated.
Ukraine's military said on Saturday it had struck the Zhutovskaya oil depot overnight.
Ukraine has been targeting Russia's energy infrastructure in recent months, aiming to cut off Moscow's ability to finance its military campaign against Kyiv.
Russia's Defence Ministry on Saturday said its air defences had downed 67 Ukrainian drones as of 0600 GMT.
Comment: Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
Saturday 10 January 2026 13:30 , Tara CobhamShortly before Christmas, the new chief of MI6, Blaise Metreweli, made her first public speech since taking charge. She chose as her subject the multifaceted threat posed by Russia, warning of the growing danger from Vladimir Putin’s regime. “We are operating in a space between peace and war,” she said.
The recently appointed “C” said “the front line is everywhere”, explaining that Putin is provoking a new “age of uncertainty” by busily rewriting the unwritten rules of conflict. “The export of chaos is a feature, not a bug, in the Russian approach to international engagement,” said Metreweli.
This week has seen the cementing of the axis between the UK, France and Germany with the promise of troops on the ground to monitor peace in Ukraine, a move that is bound to antagonise Putin. Concerns about Russian retaliation are growing still further following the boarding of a tanker in Russia’s “shadow fleet” by US forces off the British coast. The involvement of the Royal Navy will have been noticed and noted in Moscow. The hostility continues to ramp up in intensity.
Chris Blackhurst writes:
Russia’s shadow war with us is just starting – be ready for trouble
Kyiv scrambles to repair ruined power grid after Russian attack
Saturday 10 January 2026 13:00 , Tara CobhamKyiv's water and heating systems were back on after being briefly shut down amid intense cold on Saturday, as engineers scrambled to stabilise a power grid brought to the brink by a campaign of Russian strikes, including one two nights ago.
Russia has regularly conducted intense bombardments of Ukraine's energy system since it invaded its neighbour in 2022, causing multi-hour daily blackouts in major cities.
Heat and water infrastructure have also been heavily affected in recent weeks, an increasing concern with temperatures already below minus 10C, and set to plunge further in the coming week.
The city administration said around noon local time (1000 GMT) on Saturday that the state grid operator Ukrenergo had ordered the city's power system to be shut down, and that the water and heating systems, as well as electrified public transport, would also stop working as a result.
Less than an hour later, Ukrenergo said engineers had managed to remedy the immediate issue, which had been caused by damage from previous Russian strikes, and that power was coming back online in parts of Kyiv.
Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said the heating system, which in Ukrainian cities is centralised and pumps hot water to homes in pipes, was also coming back on, and that she expected heat supply to be fully restored on Saturday.
However, she said that the power situation in the capital was still difficult, as the grid was badly damaged and people were using more electric heaters because of the cold.
On Friday, about 6,000 of Kyiv's apartment blocks were left without heating after the latest Russian missile and drone attack, as bitter cold set in.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said half of those blocks had heat supply restored by Saturday before it was shut off again due to the power grid problem.
UK allocates £200m to prepare for possible Ukraine deployment
Saturday 10 January 2026 12:30 , Tara CobhamThe US has said it is allocating £200million to fund preparations for the possible deployment of troops to Ukraine, after pledging its soldiers this week to a multinational force for the country in the event of a ceasefire.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday agreed a declaration of intent at a summit of the "coalition of the willing" of Ukraine's allies, outlining a potential future deployment.
Visiting the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Friday, British defence minister John Healey said the money would be spent on upgrading vehicles and communication systems and counter-drone protection, as well as ensuring troops are ready to deploy.
Britain made the announcement hours after Russia fired a powerful hypersonic missile, in what Kyiv's European allies described as an attempt to intimidate them from supporting Ukraine.
Macron has said France could send thousands of troops to the Multinational Force for Ukraine (MNFU), aimed at firming up security guarantees to reassure Kyiv. Britain has not said how many troops it would send; Starmer said on Wednesday Britain's plans were still being finalised.
Healey said the funding announcement for the MNFU showed the government was "surging investment" into preparations for Ukraine.
"This capital spending is being funded from the core defence budget and sends a clear signal to allies and adversaries of the UK‘s intent to lead the MNFU, (and) fulfil our promises to secure the peace in Ukraine," the statement from the Ministry of Defence said.
Healey also told Zelensky that production of Octopus interceptor drones, based on a Ukrainian design but made in Britain, would start in January. Britain will send thousands of them back to Ukraine each month to help the country defend itself against Russian drone attacks.
Trump rules out capturing Putin
Saturday 10 January 2026 12:03 , Tara CobhamDonald Trump has ruled out capturing Vladimir Putin.
While speaking to reporters on Friday evening, the US president was asked: “Would you ever order a mission to go and capture Vladimir Putin?”
He replied: “I don’t think it’s going to be necessary. I’ve always had a great relationship with him.”
Europe's leaders condemn Russia's bombardment of Ukraine as 'escalatory and unacceptable'
Saturday 10 January 2026 11:54 , Tara CobhamRussia bombarded Ukraine with hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles in a large-scale overnight attack, officials said Friday, killing at least four people in the capital.
For only the second time in the nearly 4-year-old war, it used a powerful, new hypersonic missile that struck western Ukraine in a clear warning to Kyiv's NATO allies.
The intense barrage and the launch of the nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile came days after Ukraine and its allies reported major progress toward agreeing on how to defend the country from further Moscow aggression if a US-led peace deal is struck.
Europe's leaders condemned the attack as "escalatory and unacceptable", and the European Union's top foreign policy envoy said Russian President Vladimir Putin's reply to diplomacy was "more missiles and destruction".
Kyiv's power, water and heat systems turned off for repairs amid intense cold
Saturday 10 January 2026 11:01 , Tara CobhamKyiv's electricity system, severely damaged by a winter campaign of Russian bombardment including a strike two nights ago, has been turned off for repairs at the orders of the state grid operator, the city administration said on Saturday amid intense cold weather.
The city's water and heat distribution systems, as well as electrified public transport, have also stopped working as a result of the power outage, the administration said on Telegram. It said repairs were underway, but did not indicate how long the systems would remain shut down.
Half of Kyiv's apartment blocks were without heat on Friday after the latest Russian attack, as temperatures sank below minus 10C.
Dark, freezing and depressed: More than 1m Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
Saturday 10 January 2026 10:56 , Tara CobhamAs Ukraine is gripped by a bitter cold snap, more than one million people have been left without heating and electricity as Russia ramps up attacks on energy infrastructure.
Elderly residents and those with vulnerable family members told The Independent they are cold and unable to cook proper meals as they face temperatures as low as -15C.
Despondent and fearing death, many are struggling through the winter as blackouts plunge Ukraine’s cities into darkness, lit up only by the bright flash of Russian drone and missile attacks.
Alex Croft reports:
Dark, cold, depressed: The Ukrainians without heat or water after Russian attacks
Governor of Russia's Belgorod region says 600,000 without power, heat, or water after Ukrainian strike
Saturday 10 January 2026 10:05 , Tara CobhamThe governor of Russia's Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, said on Saturday that 600,000 residents were without electricity, heating and water after a Ukrainian missile strike.
In a statement posted on Telegram, Vyacheslav Gladkov said that work was underway to restore supplies, but that the situation was "extremely challenging".
Footage filmed by Reuters in Belgorod city showed street lights extinguished and locals finding their way using hand-held torches and car headlights.
Belgorod region, which adjoins Ukraine's Kharkiv region and had a pre-war population of 1.5 million, has come under regular attack from Kyiv's forces since Russia ordered tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine in February 2022.
Russia has frequently bombarded Ukraine's power infrastructure, causing rolling daily blackouts, and has also targeted heating systems this winter. An overnight strike on Thursday left about half of Kyiv's apartment blocks without heat.
Temperatures in most of Russia and Ukraine have been well below freezing in recent days.
