Russia has also kept its ongoing campaign against the energy system of Ukraine and now much of Kyiv is without heat and water following an overnight bomb attack as the temperatures dropped to minus 14 degrees Celsius. According to Ukrainian officials, the attacks are meant to destroy the morale of civilians and undermine resistance.
Dozens of Russian missiles and drones hit energy infrastructure in the country, killing at least one 50-year-old man in the capital. Kyiv had thousands of apartment buildings that lost heating and running water supply, and authorities had to hurry to restore the most basic services that were already destroyed during previous strikes.
President Vladimir Putin was accused by a foreign minister Andriy Sybiga of waging what he termed as a genocidal war against civilians and he stated that the energy infrastructure had been targeted in at least seven regions. He has urged allies of Ukraine to intensify air defence mechanisms, saying that Europe would not have peace without sustainable peace of Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy indicated that he might skip the World Economic Forum in Davos and address the crisis back home. He said that the relief of people in energy deficiencies had now become his first priority, but he did not exclude the idea of visiting Switzerland in case agreements could be made with the United States regarding the economic and security aid to the country after the war.
The air force of Ukraine reported that approximately 339 long-range drones and 34 missiles were used in the attack by Russia. The attack was approximately ten days after the most intensive attack on the energy infrastructure in Kyiv since the invasion had caused half the city to lack heating in freezing temperatures.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported that over 5,600 residential buildings had no heating and Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa reported that almost half of the capital had gone black. Schools were shut down until February and streetlights turned down to save on power.
People who were in the metro stations to seek shelter reported that the frequent attacks were aimed at burning the people out. Critical infrastructure in Rivne, thousands of people without electricity, residential buildings and energy facilities were targeted in Odesa, and a fire at an industrial facility took place in Poltava.
According to the Kremlin, it only attacks military installations and accuses Kyiv of extending the war. International Criminal Court has also declared arrest warrants on two high ranking officers of Russia and declared that the targeting of energy infrastructure is a war crime.