Donald Trump has blamed his inability to end the war in Ukraine on its president Volodymyr Zelensky – not Russian leader Vladimir Putin.
Asked why US-led negotiations had not yet resolved Europe's largest land conflict since the Second World War, Trump responded: "Zelensky”. He added that Putin “is ready to make a deal” while “Ukraine is less ready to make a deal”.
The claim from Trump is in sharp contrast with European allies who have proven Putin as the key figure ramping up military aggression and rejecting peace proposals from Trump’s envoys.
Just hours earlier, Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov insisted Moscow was not interested in agreeing to a ceasefire, instead holding out for a peace agreement that would end the conflict on its terms.
Meanwhile, Zelensky has said he will declare a state of emergency for Ukraine's energy sector following sustained Russian attacks on the country’s infrastructure.
Crews are making round-the-clock efforts to restore power and heating supplies thrown into disarray, particularly in Kyiv, last week.
Key Points
- Trump says Zelensky, not Putin, holding up Ukraine peace deal
- Trump is the only person who can stop Putin’s war in Ukraine, Polish president says
- Watch: Zelensky to declare state of emergency over Putin’s attacks on energy grid
- Trump suggests he might meet Zelensky in Davos next week
- Two million Ukrainians wanted for evading mobilisation, says new defence chief
Watch: Zelensky to declare state of emergency over Putin’s attacks on energy grid
03:15 , Arpan RaiTrump suggests he might meet Zelensky in Davos next week
03:01 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has hinted at a likely meeting with Volodymyr Zelensky at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland next week.
"I would - if he's there," Trump said. "I'm going to be there."
Asked why he believed Zelensky was holding back on negotiations, Trump did not elaborate, saying only: "I just think he's, you know, having a hard time getting there."
Zelensky has publicly ruled out any territorial concessions to Moscow, saying Kyiv has no right under the country's constitution to give up any land.
Trump says Zelensky, not Putin, holding up Ukraine peace deal
02:53 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has claimed Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky is holding up a potential peace deal, not Russian leader Vladimir Putin, in a fresh U-turn.
Speaking to Reuters in the Oval Office yesterday, Trump said Putin is ready to wrap up his nearly four-year-old invasion of Ukraine. Zelensky, he said, was more reticent.
His claim is in sharp contrast with European allies who have proven Putin as the key figure ramping up military aggression and rejecting peace proposals from Trump’s envoys.
"I think he's ready to make a deal," Trump said of the Russian president. "I think Ukraine is less ready to make a deal."
Asked why US-led negotiations had not yet resolved Europe's largest land conflict since the Second World War, Trump responded: "Zelensky”.
In pictures: Life without heat in freezing temperatures
02:20 , Jane Dalton
Ukraine 'received 23 air defence systems last year'
01:01 , Jane DaltonUkraine received 23 medium- and long-range air-defence systems in 2025 as well as 11,000 missiles for them, outgoing Ukrainian defence minister Denys Shmyhal has said.
He made the remark in an address to Ukraine's parliament shortly before his expected appointment as energy minister.
Trump envoys set to meet Putin
00:01 , Jane Dalton
Ukraine-Russia peace talks as Trump envoy set to travel to Moscow
Kyiv residents freezing after Russia cuts power
Wednesday 14 January 2026 23:01 , Jane DaltonEmergency repair crews are working to restore power in the Kyiv region after relentless Russian barrages on energy infrastructure left Ukrainians at the mercy of the coldest winter in years.
At Boryspil, a town with a population of around 60,000, workers dismantled and rebuilt burnt-out electrical systems as they rushed to fix the damage.
They worked in the snow amid temperatures of -15C from early morning until midnight, said Yurii Bryzh, who leads the regional department of private electricity provider DTEK.
They have managed to restore the supply for four hours a day. But Bryzh told the Associated Press the problem was "when the power comes back on, people turn on all the electrical equipment that is available in the house" as they dash to wash, cook or recharge their phones. That collapses the system again, he said.
The hardship of civilians is acute amid what Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko described as the longest and broadest outages since Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbour almost four years ago. Some homes have been without electricity for days.
Apartments in the capital are freezing, and when venturing outside people wear heavy layers of clothes against the bitter cold that chills to the bone.
Across Kyiv, snow covers the ground and roofs and is piled up next to pavements. At night, the streets are dark and towering apartment blocks show no light in the windows.
Russia demands release of detained archaeologist facing extradition to Ukraine
Wednesday 14 January 2026 22:00 , Maira ButtRussia has summoned Poland's ambassador to formally protest the detention of a Russian archaeologist, demanding his immediate release rather than extradition to Ukraine.
Alexander Butyagin was arrested by Polish authorities last month following a request from Ukraine. Kyiv accuses the archaeologist of conducting unauthorised excavations and plundering historical artefacts in Crimea.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it had called in Polish ambassador Krzysztof Krajewski on Monday and told him that the Ukrainian charges were "absurd".
Russia demands release of detained archaeologist facing extradition to Ukraine
EU weighs special negotiator for Russia talks - report
Wednesday 14 January 2026 21:00 , Maira ButtEuropean governments are pushing the EU to create a dedicated negotiator role for talks with Russia over Ukraine, amid fears that the US could strike a deal with Moscow that sidelines Europe, Politico reported on Wednesday.
Backed by France and Italy, the proposal would mark a significant shift in EU diplomacy, providing the bloc with its own channel to defend key red lines, such as Ukraine’s future security and Nato ambitions, as US president Donald Trump pursues bilateral talks with Vladimir Putin, the outlet said.
Citing three unidentified diplomats, Politico said supporters argue that EU needs a seat at the table to safeguard its security interests.
Watch: Only Trump can stop Putin from threatening Europe, says Polish president
Wednesday 14 January 2026 20:00 , Maira ButtDonald Trump is the only person who can stop Vladimir Putin from remaining a “threat” to the whole of Europe, Poland’s president has said.
Karol Nawrocki urged European leaders to assist the Trump administration in its efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Russia is still a threat for Europe,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Wednesday. “And Donald Trump, nowadays, is [the only] leader who can solve this problem and we have to support him in this process.”
At least 20 drones violated Polish airspace from Belarus and Ukraine last year, prompting a response from Nato in the form of Operation Eastern Sentry.
Where are the shadow fleet oil tankers? Vessel seized by US spotted off Scottish coast
Wednesday 14 January 2026 19:00 , Maira ButtA Venezuela-linked oil tanker seized by the US has been spotted off the coast of Moray in Scotland a week after it was intercepted.
The Marinera, a Russian-flagged vessel previously known as Bella-1, was witnessed being escorted to an undisclosed location accompanied by a US coast guard vessel.
It comes as British special forces could be given the green light to raid the vessels in a move to place further pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin, according to reports.
The use of shadow fleet tankers to move sanctioned oil around the world has increased in recent years as states seek to circumvent restrictions to their transportation.
Where are the shadow fleet oil tankers? US-seized Vessel spotted off Scottish coast
Zelensky to declare a state of emergency in energy sector
Wednesday 14 January 2026 18:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he will declare a state of emergency in the energy sector to tackle issues with disrupted power supplies following sustained Russian attacks o infrastructure.
"Overall, a state of emergency will be declared for Ukraine’s energy sector," he wrote on X on Wednesday, adding work was underway "to significantly increase the volume of electricity imports into Ukraine".
Ukraine has undergone several attacks on its critical energy infrastructure during the war with power outages reported as temperatures hit subzero.
'Broader changes are needed' across Ukraine's military, says Zelensky
Wednesday 14 January 2026 17:00 , Maira ButtUkraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky has said that “broader changes are needed” across the country’s military as he and his new defence minister, Mykhailo Fedorov, said on Wednesday.
He outlined his three main priorities as: air defence, attempts to “significantly strengthen the technological component” and increasing pay for soldiers on the frontline and lastly “systemic solutions” to issues facing recruitment including mobilisation.
White House denies Moscow meeting
Wednesday 14 January 2026 16:00 , Maira ButtThe White House has denied that a meeting is taking place between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Bloomberg reported that such a meeting was due to take place next week, but the White House told Reuters that no such meeting was scheduled to take place.
It comes as Russia’s veteran foreign minister Sergei Lavrov made at a dig at the US for not keeping the Kremlin abreast of developments in peace talks with Ukraine.
Two million Ukrainians wanted for evading mobilisation, says new defence chief
Wednesday 14 January 2026 15:33 , Maira ButtAround two million Ukrainians are wanted for evading mobilisation while 200,000 soldiers are AWOL (absent without official leave), Ukraine’s new defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov revealed on Wednesday.
Fedorov has promised to revolutionise the country’s armed forces as it faces a critical manpower shortage. According to the Criminal Code of Ukraine, evading mobilisation is punishable by imprisonment of three to five years in wartime.
Some have been going AWOL using shortcuts to transfer between units, according to the Kyiv Independent.
He added that troops faced “a large number” of problems including a Soviet style manner of commanding troops.
“This prevents soldiers on the front line from working at their maximum,” Fedorov said.
Emergency workers extinguish Kharkiv fires after Russian strike
Wednesday 14 January 2026 15:03 , Maira ButtIn pictures: Aftermath of Ukrainian drone strike in Russia
Wednesday 14 January 2026 14:30 , Maira ButtA multi-storey apartment block that local authorities say was damaged by debris from downed Ukrainian drones during an attack on the region, amid the Russia-Ukraine military conflict in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, 14 January.
EU targets Ukraine's military needs with massive new loan program plus billions in budget support
Wednesday 14 January 2026 14:01 , Maira ButtThe European Union will dedicate most of a massive new loan program to Ukraine’s military needs over the next two years while also injecting billions into its war-ravaged economy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday.
EU leaders agreed last month to loan Ukraine 90 billion euros (£77bn) to help cover its needs in 2026 and 2027. Kyiv would only have to pay the money back once Russia ends its war and pays reparations for the damage it has inflicted over almost four years.
The International Monetary Fund estimates that Ukraine will need 137 billion euros (£118bn) over the two years. The government in Kyiv is on the verge of bankruptcy and desperately needs the money by spring.
EU targets Ukraine's military needs with massive new loan program plus billions in budget support
Russia says attack on oil tanker carried out by Ukrainian drones
Wednesday 14 January 2026 13:00 , Maira ButtUkrainian drones were used to attack a Russian oil tanker in the Black Sea, according to the Russia’s ministry of defence.
The attacks were carried out on Tuesday about 100km from the city of Anapa in Russia’s Krasnodar region. Two Ukrainian strike UAVs were used to carry out the mission.
One of the tankers is reported to have been chartered by US oil company Chevron CVX.N according to the companies involved. They were headed toward a terminal on the Russian coast.
Ukraine's new defence minister promises to drive army reform
Wednesday 14 January 2026 12:30 , Maira ButtUkraine’s army will be transformed thanks to a drive for innovation and reform to strengthen military training, according to the country’s newly appointed defence minister.
“Today, it is impossible to fight with new technologies using an old organisational structure. We need comprehensive changes,” said Mykhailo Fedorov in an address to lawmakers.
“Our goal is to change the system: to reform the army, improve infrastructure on the front lines, eradicate lies and corruption, and make leadership and trust a new culture.”
The 34-year-old has previously served as deputy prime minister and digital transformation minister.
It follows a cabinet reshuffled by President Volodymyr Zelensky after a corruption scandal.
Ceasefire before peace deal not 'serious' proposition, says Russia
Wednesday 14 January 2026 11:56 , Maira ButtRussia will not agree to a ceasefire before a peace deal, the country’s veteran foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has said on Wednesday.
Lavrov added that it would be helpful if the US updated Moscow on the latest developments in peace proposals for Ukraine.
It comes as US envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner are seeking to travel to Moscow to meet Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Only Trump can stop Putin from threatening Europe, says Polish president
Wednesday 14 January 2026 11:26 , Maira ButtDonald Trump is the only person who can stop Vladimir Putin remaining a “threat” to the whole of Europe, Poland’s president has said.
Karol Nawrocki urged European leaders to assist the Trump administration in its efforts to end Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Russia is still a threat for Europe,” he told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme on Wednesday. “And Donald Trump, nowadays, is only one leader who can solve this problem and we have to support him in this process.”
At least 20 drones violated Polish airspace from Belarus and Ukraine last year, prompting a response from Nato in the form of Operation Eastern Sentry.
Only Trump can stop Putin from threatening Europe, says Polish president
Man killed after Russian shelling in Donetsk
Wednesday 14 January 2026 10:55 , Maira ButtOne man has been killed after Russian strikes hit a civilian area in the city of Kramatorsk, at the frontline of fighting in Ukraine, according to the country’s emergency services.
A residential building was left in flames and a man’s body was found under the rubble by rescue workers in the aftermath of the blast.
Pictured: Rescuers work at site of logistics hub hit by Russian strike in Kharkiv
Wednesday 14 January 2026 09:45 , Daniel Keane
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Watch: Emergency workers extinguish Kharkiv fires after Russian strike
Wednesday 14 January 2026 09:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar‘Massive’ overnight attack leaves thousands without power, Kyiv says
Wednesday 14 January 2026 08:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarRussian 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 said.
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 Independent reported.
He said the city’s water utility was forced to switch to emergency generators, warning that residents would experience lower-than-normal water pressure.
Vilkul said 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 target energy and infrastructure facilities across Ukraine.
EU weighs special negotiator for Russia talks - report
Wednesday 14 January 2026 08:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarEuropean governments are pushing the EU to create a dedicated negotiator role for talks with Russia over Ukraine, amid fears that the US could strike a deal with Moscow that sidelines Europe, Politico reported on Wednesday.
Backed by France and Italy, the proposal would mark a significant shift in EU diplomacy, providing the bloc with its own channel to defend key red lines, such as Ukraine’s future security and Nato ambitions, as US president Donald Trump pursues bilateral talks with Vladimir Putin, the outlet said.
Citing three unidentified diplomats, Politico said supporters argue that EU needs a seat at the table to safeguard its security interests.
Trump is the only person who can stop Putin’s war in Ukraine, Polish president says
Wednesday 14 January 2026 07:33 , Maroosha MuzaffarPoland’s president Karol Nawrocki says Donald Trump is the only world leader capable of stopping Vladimir Putin's war on Ukraine.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Nawrocki said Putin could not be trusted and added that Russia was actively testing Poland and Nato.
Recalling a wave of drone incursions last September, he called it “an extraordinary situation”, and added that “until that time, no Nato member state had experienced a drone attack on that scale”.
He said that Trump was the only person who could “solve this problem”.
He said Poland had been in a state of hybrid war with Russia since 2021, involving drones and disinformation, warning that “we are living in dangerous times”.
2025 was the deadliest year for Ukrainian civilians, UN says
Wednesday 14 January 2026 07:10 , Maroosha MuzaffarThe United Nations has confirmed that more than 2,500 Ukrainian civilians were killed during Russian attacks in 2025.
The UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said that the recorded civilian casualties in Ukraine last year were 31 per cent higher than in 2024 and 70 per cent higher than in 2023.
“This rise was driven not only by intensified hostilities along the frontline, but also by the expanded use of long-range weapons, which exposed civilians across the country to heightened risk,” Danielle Bell, who heads the UN monitoring mission in Ukraine, told CNN.
One of the deadliest strikes hit Ternopil on 19 November, killing at least 38 civilians, including eight children, with 10 families losing two or more members.
Overall, the UN says more than 14,900 civilians have been killed since February 2022, warning that the “actual figures are likely higher”.
Kyiv citizens battle harsh winter as Russian attacks against energy infrastructure continue
Wednesday 14 January 2026 06:45 , Maroosha MuzaffarRussia’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 enduring 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, said 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 saying by CNN.
“We were prepared for the winter to be difficult, but this time, in addition to the power cuts caused 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 think conditions like this would exist in the 21st century.”
Ukraine’s missile interception rate falls sharply - report
Wednesday 14 January 2026 06:20 , Maroosha MuzaffarUkraine’s missile interception rate fell sharply in early 2026 as Russia intensified its sustained campaign against the country’s energy infrastructure, The Kyiv Independent 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 say missile defence is constrained by shortages of advanced interceptors, particularly US-made PAC-3 missiles used by Patriot batteries.
A Ukrainian Air Force officer said shortages are severe, warning that air defence radars are being disabled daily, the outlet reported.
Ukrainian drone attack triggers fires at an industrial facility in major Russian port city, officials say
Wednesday 14 January 2026 05:55 , Maroosha MuzaffarA 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 said 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 said 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.
‘Massive’ overnight attack leaves thousands without power, Kyiv says
Wednesday 14 January 2026 05:28 , Maroosha MuzaffarRussian 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 said.
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 Independent reported.
He said the city’s water utility was forced to switch to emergency generators, warning that residents would experience lower-than-normal water pressure.
Vilkul said 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 target energy and infrastructure facilities across Ukraine.
Four injured in Ukrainian drone attack on Russian port city
Wednesday 14 January 2026 04:46 , Arpan RaiAt least four people were injured after a Ukrainian drone attack overnight caused two fires at an industrial facility in southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, officials said.
Yuri Slyusar, governor of Rostov region, said 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 said.
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, said temporary accommodation was arranged for the families from the damaged apartments.
The full-scale impact of the attack was not immediately known.
UK could use oil from shadow fleet to fund Ukraine war effort
Wednesday 14 January 2026 04:32 , Arpan RaiThe UK is assessing plans to use oil seized from Russia’s shadow fleet vessels to fund Ukraine’s war effort, a government source told 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 help fund Ukraine’s resistance,” the source told 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.
Oil tankers hit in drone attack off Russian coast
Wednesday 14 January 2026 04:22 , Arpan RaiMultiple 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 targeted Kyiv and Kharkiv overnight.
Estonia bans more than 250 Russian soldiers who fought against Ukraine
Wednesday 14 January 2026 03:46 , Arpan RaiEstonia has said it will ban 261 Russian combatants who fought in the war against Ukraine from entering the country.
The bans are unavoidable, Estonian interior minister Igor Taro said, 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 said, 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 tasks for Russian special services and participation in organised crime," Taro said.
Watch: Four killed in Kharkiv as massive Russian air assault cripples Ukraine’s energy grid
Wednesday 14 January 2026 03:21 , Arpan RaiUkraine drone attack sparks industrial fire in Russia's Rostov-on-Don
Wednesday 14 January 2026 03:08 , Arpan RaiUkrainian drone attack sparked an industrial fire and damaged apartment buildings in the southern Russian port of Rostov-on-Don, mayor Aleksandr Skryabin said this morning.
Air defences were trying to repel the attack over the city's western districts, where falling debris caused the fire and damaged the buildings, Skryabin said on the Telegram messaging app.
Ukrainian parliament rejects new role outgoing defence minister Denys Shmyhal
Wednesday 14 January 2026 03:00 , Alex CroftUkrainian lawmakers on Tuesday voted against naming outgoing defence minister Denys Shmyhal as energy minister after president Volodymyr Zelensky proposed him for the top job.
A total of 265 MPs voted in favour of dismissing Mr Shmyhal from his decision, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Mr Zelensky had previously said he had expected parliament would approve Mr Shmyhal for the posts of deputy prime minister and minister of energy.
Russian drone attack forces power cuts in Ukraine's Kryvyi Rih
Wednesday 14 January 2026 02:55 , Arpan RaiRussian drones attacked infrastructure in the central Ukrainian city of Kryvyi Rih, forcing emergency power blackouts for more than 45,000 customers and disrupting heat supplies, officials said.
"Please fill up on water and charge your devices, if you have the chance. It's going to be difficult," military administration head Oleksandr Vilkul said on the Telegram messaging app.
Water utility pumping stations switched to generators and water remained in the system, but there could be pressure problems.
The full scale of the attack was not immediately known.
Russia has repeatedly struck Ukraine’s power plants, substations and transmission lines with missiles and drones, seeking to knock out electricity and heating and hinder industry during the nearly four-year war.
Kyiv says the campaign has forced rolling outages and emergency cuts to cities across the country, as repair crews work under fire and Ukraine relies on air defences and electricity imports to stabilise the grid.
Kryvyi Rih, a steel-and-mining hub in the Dnipropetrovsk region and president Volodymyr Zelensky’s hometown, has been hit repeatedly, with strikes killing civilians and damaging homes and industry.
Germany charges two Ukrainians linked to Russian spy plot
Wednesday 14 January 2026 02:02 , Alex CroftGermany indicted two Ukrainians linked to an alleged Russian spy plot to detonate packages while they were being transported across Europe, prosecutors said on Tuesday.
In March 2025, suspects named as Daniil B, Vladyslav T and Yevhen B, sent two packages with GPS trackers from the western German city of Cologne to Ukraine on the orders of Russian intelligence agents in Mariupol, prosecutors said.
The aim was to look at logistics routes to allow them to later send packages with explosive devices which would ignite in Germany or elsewhere.
Russia has denied any involvement.
Daniil B and Vladyslav T were arrested in Germany in May and remain in pre-trial detention. Yevhen B, who was arrested in Switzerland that same month, was extradited to Germany on December 23, with charges expected to be filed shortly.
Dark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
Wednesday 14 January 2026 01:01 , Alex CroftAs 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 our full report here:
Dark, cold, depressed: The Ukrainians without heat or water after Russian attacks
Electricity cut off in Ukraine amid freezing cold temperatures
Wednesday 14 January 2026 00:00 , Alex CroftRussia has relentlessly targeted Ukraine's energy system throughout the conflict, claiming attacks on civil infrastructure are justified to impair Ukraine's war effort. Kyiv says Moscow's aim is to inflict suffering to break the national will.
Ukrainian officials say the war's fourth winter is shaping up to be the coldest and darkest yet, with Russian strikes intensified, years of cumulative damage taking a toll and the weather dangerously cold even for Ukraine's climate.
On Tuesday, emergency power cuts were introduced in the capital Kyiv and also in the Chernihiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, the Energy Ministry said.
DTEK, the country's largest private energy company, said the Russian attack heavily damaged equipment at one of its thermal power plants.
Temperatures are hovering at about -13 Celsius (9 F) in Kyiv where residents have endured days with interrupted electricity and heating supplies after the last big Russian strike last week.
Ukraine saw sharp rise in civilian casualties in 2025, UN monitor shows
Tuesday 13 January 2026 23:01 , Alex CroftThe year 2025 was the deadliest for civilians in Ukraine since 2022, the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said.
These deaths in Ukraine have gone up after intensified hostilities on the war frontline and expanded use of long-range weapons from Russia.
Conflict-related violence in Ukraine killed 2,514 civilians and injured 12,142 in 2025, a 31 per cent rise in the number of victims from 2024, the monitor said in a monthly update on civilian harm.
The vast majority of the casualties verified by the watchdog occurred in Ukrainian government-controlled territory from attacks launched by Russian armed forces, the statement added. Ukrainian officials generally cite the UN figures as accurate.
Almost two-thirds of all casualties last year occurred in frontline areas, with older persons particularly affected as they remained in their villages. Civilian casualties caused by short-range drones also increased sharply, it added.
“The expanded use of short-range drones has rendered many areas near the frontline effectively uninhabitable," said Danielle Bell, head of the monitoring mission.
“In 2025, many people who had endured years of hostilities were ultimately compelled to leave their homes,” confirming displacement of civilians as another impact of the war.
In pictures: Fierce blaze at site of Russian missile strike in Kharkiv
Tuesday 13 January 2026 22:03 , Alex Croft
Russian forces strike military facilities in Ukraine, says Moscow
Tuesday 13 January 2026 21:01 , Alex CroftRussian forces carried out a massive strike targeting military-industrial facilities in Ukraine, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
The strike was a response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian civilian infrastructure, the ministry said.
"Russia's armed forces launched a massive strike with precision ground-based weapons, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, against energy infrastructure facilities used in the interests Ukraine's armed forces and enterprises of the military-industrial complex," the ministry said.
Russia reports striking Ukrainian transportation facilities
Tuesday 13 January 2026 20:00 , Alex CroftChechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov hospitalised with kidney failure, Ukrainian intelligence says
Tuesday 13 January 2026 19:29 , Alex CroftChechen warlord Ramzan Kadyrov has been hospitalised with kidney failure, according to Ukrainian intelligence.
Rumours are swirling that Mr Kadyrov’s health is deteriorating to the point that the Kremlin is already considering who will take up his position as the head of the Chechen Republic, Ukrainian state-owned news agency Ukrinform reported, citing a source.
The source in the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, who remained anonymous, said Mr Kadyrov has been undergoing dialysis, with doctors not making any firm predictions about his condition.
They added that members of his powerful clan, including family members from abroad, have flocked to his bedside as he is treated at a private hospital in Chechnya.
Our senior reporter Tara Cobham brings the full report:
Chechen warlord Kadyrov hospitalised with kidney failure, Ukrainian intelligence says
Russia summons Polish ambassador over archaeologist detention
Tuesday 13 January 2026 18:58 , Alex CroftRussia summoned Poland's ambassador to protest over the detention of Russian archaeologist Alexander Butyagin, the Russian foreign ministry said on Tuesday.
Poland detained Butyagin last month. Ukraine accuses him of unauthorised excavations and of plundering historical artefacts in Crimea.
Russia said the accusations against Butyagin by Ukraine were "absurd" and demanded he be released.
Ukraine strikes drone manufacturing plant in Rostov region
Tuesday 13 January 2026 18:26 , Alex CroftUkraine's military said it had struck a drone manufacturing plant in the Rostov region of Russia, sparking fires at the scene.
In a joint operation between the Ukrainian Navy and the Security Service’s Alpha Special Operations Centre, the drones struck production facilities at the Atlant Aero plant in Taganrog last night.
Loud explosions were heard and a fire triggered at the scene, the Security Service reported according to Ukrainska Pravda.
It claimed that the strike will reduce the volume of drone production, one of the central tools used by Russian forces to carry out its invasion of Ukraine. Drones are used both for major overnight strikes and for reconnaissance missions.
Zelensky says Russia targeted power infrastructure in overnight strikes
Tuesday 13 January 2026 17:55 , Alex CroftRussian forces targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in overnight strikes and have caused substantial damage, Volodymyr Zelensky says.
“Almost 300 attack drones, most of them 'shaheds', along with 18 ballistic and 7 cruise missiles, were launched by the Russians against Ukraine last night. Once again, the main target of the strike was our energy – generation facilities and substations,” he said on X.
“Sadly, there has been extensive destruction of residential and civilian infrastructure. Dnipro, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions came under attack,” he added.
Zelensky accused Russia of hitting a postal terminal in Kharkiv without “any military purpose whatsoever”, killing four people.
He said Ukraine should get the deliveries of weapons already agreed upon by America and Europe. “Russia must come to learn that cold will not help it win the war,” he said.
Putin's forces attack Ukraine with 293 drones and 18 missiles overnight
Tuesday 13 January 2026 16:52 , Alex CroftRussian forces fired at least 293 drones and 18 missiles at Ukraine overnight, the Ukrainian air force said this morning.
Ukraine's air defences shot down at least 240 of the drones and seven missiles, the air force said.
Combined it is the highest number of aerial weapons Russia has fired at Ukraine so far this year.
Last week, on Thursday night into Friday, Russia fired 242 drones and 36 missiles at its smaller neighbour.
That attack included a hypersonic Oreshnik missile aimed at Lviv, sparking widespread condemnation from the UN Security Council at an emergency meeting on Monday.
Kremlin defends Iran, threatening relations with US as Ukraine peace talks continue
Tuesday 13 January 2026 16:20 , Alex CroftThe Kremlin issued a stark warning in defence of its ally Iran on Tuesday, as Donald Trump assured protesters that “help is coming”.
Russia’s foreign ministry condemned what it called “subversive external interference” in Iran’s internal politics, rallying behind Tehran against US involvement.
The matter threatens to damage relations with Washington at a crucial time in US-mediated peace talks over Russia’s war in Ukraine.
“Those who plan to use externally inspired unrest as a pretext for repeating the aggression against Iran committed in June 2025 must be aware of the disastrous consequences of such actions for the situation in the Middle East and global international security,” it said in a statement, referring to the US and Israeli strikes last summer.
The foreign ministry said Donald Trump’s threat of strikes was “categorically unacceptable”.
Ukrainian parliament rejects new role outgoing defence minister Denys Shmyhal
Tuesday 13 January 2026 15:48 , Alex CroftUkrainian lawmakers on Tuesday voted against naming outgoing defence minister Denys Shmyhal as energy minister after president Volodymyr Zelensky proposed him for the top job.
A total of 265 MPs voted in favour of dismissing Mr Shmyhal from his decision, according to Ukrainska Pravda.
Mr Zelensky had previously said he had expected parliament would approve Mr Shmyhal for the posts of deputy prime minister and minister of energy.
Rutte expects talks on Arctic security amid Trump's Greenland push
Tuesday 13 January 2026 15:17 , Alex CroftNato's secretary general Mark Rutte he expects member states will hold talks on the security in the Arctic region in the coming weeks, amid Donald Trump's push to take control of Greenland.
"We all agree that when it comes to the Arctic, we have to work together," he added during a conference held in Brussels.
European countries have firmly rejected the idea of any US control over Greenland, and Washington is yet to make a serious move regarding its desire to control the semi-autonomous Danish territory.
Tanker 'stable' after strike in Black Sea
Tuesday 13 January 2026 15:12 , Alex CroftThe Chevron CVX.N vessel among those reported to have come under drone attack near the Caspian Pipeline Consortium's terminal in the Black Sea on Tuesday was proceeding to a safe port, the U.S. oil major said.
"All crew are safe and the vessel remains stable," Chevron said.
Germany charges two Ukrainians linked to Russian spy plot
Tuesday 13 January 2026 14:10 , Alex CroftGermany indicted two Ukrainians linked to an alleged Russian spy plot to detonate packages while they were being transported across Europe, prosecutors said on Tuesday.
In March 2025, suspects named as Daniil B, Vladyslav T and Yevhen B, sent two packages with GPS trackers from the western German city of Cologne to Ukraine on the orders of Russian intelligence agents in Mariupol, prosecutors said.
The aim was to look at logistics routes to allow them to later send packages with explosive devices which would ignite in Germany or elsewhere.
Russia has denied any involvement.
Daniil B and Vladyslav T were arrested in Germany in May and remain in pre-trial detention. Yevhen B, who was arrested in Switzerland that same month, was extradited to Germany on December 23, with charges expected to be filed shortly.
Three Greek-managed oil tankers struck by drones near Russia's Black Sea coast
Tuesday 13 January 2026 13:51 , Alex CroftAs we earlier reported, Greek-managed oil tankers were hit by unidentified drones in the Black Sea before unloading at a Russian terminal, according to sources speaking to Reuters news agency.
Earlier, we reported that two tankers had been struck. It has now been confirmed that a third, the Freud, was also hit. The other two tankers hit were the Delta Harmony and Delta Supreme.
It was not immediately clear who was behind Tuesday's strikes. Kyiv has not immediately commented, while the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which operates the terminal where the tankers were due to take on board cargoes, declined to comment.
Attacks on tankers in the Black Sea could increase both shipping and insurance costs for those seeking to load oil at Russian terminals on the Black Sea, which handle more than 2 per cent of global crude.
Dark, freezing and depressed: More than a million Ukrainians struggling without heat or water after Russian attacks
Tuesday 13 January 2026 13:42 , Alex CroftAs 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 our full report here:
Dark, cold, depressed: The Ukrainians without heat or water after Russian attacks
Electricity cut off in Ukraine amid freezing cold temperatures
Tuesday 13 January 2026 13:20 , Alex CroftRussia has relentlessly targeted Ukraine's energy system throughout the conflict, claiming attacks on civil infrastructure are justified to impair Ukraine's war effort. Kyiv says Moscow's aim is to inflict suffering to break the national will.
Ukrainian officials say the war's fourth winter is shaping up to be the coldest and darkest yet, with Russian strikes intensified, years of cumulative damage taking a toll and the weather dangerously cold even for Ukraine's climate.
On Tuesday, emergency power cuts were introduced in the capital Kyiv and also in the Chernihiv, Odesa, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions, the Energy Ministry said.
DTEK, the country's largest private energy company, said the Russian attack heavily damaged equipment at one of its thermal power plants.
Temperatures are hovering at about -13 Celsius (9 F) in Kyiv where residents have endured days with interrupted electricity and heating supplies after the last big Russian strike last week.
Ukraine received 23 air defence systems in 2025, says outgoing defence minister
Tuesday 13 January 2026 12:57 , Alex CroftUkraine received 23 medium- and long-range air-defence systems in 2025 as well as 11,000 missiles for them, outgoing Ukrainian defence minister Denys Shmyhal said on Tuesday.
He made the remark in an address to Ukraine's parliament shortly before his expected appointment as energy minister.
