Russia Launches Massive Drone‑Missile Barrage as Abu Dhabi Trilateral Talks Continue
Updated (2 articles)
Largest aerial assault of 2026 targets key Ukrainian regions Over 370 drones and 21 missiles struck Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv overnight, marking the biggest Russian air strike on Ukraine this year [1][2]. The attacks focused on energy infrastructure, heating facilities and civilian shelters, aiming to cripple utilities ahead of diplomatic negotiations. Russian state media confirmed the strikes coincided with the second day of closed‑door talks in Abu Dhabi.
Casualties and utility outages exacerbate winter emergency One civilian died in Kyiv and 35 people were injured across the two cities, including 19 wounded in a Kharkiv maternity hospital and displaced‑people dormitory [1][2]. Approximately 6,000 apartments lost heating and water supplies as temperatures fell to –12 °C, prompting fires from falling debris and leaving residents without essential services [1][2]. Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko and Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov reported the human toll and damage to critical infrastructure.
Abu Dhabi negotiations proceed despite the strike Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov thanked the U.S. delegation—Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and adviser Josh Gruenbaum—and emphasized the need for a dignified, lasting peace [1]. Talks centered on Russia’s demand that Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas “fortress belt,” a condition Kyiv continues to reject [1][2]. Sources said limited progress was made, but the core territorial dispute remained unresolved [2].
Political leaders frame the attack as sabotage of peace efforts Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemned the assault as “cynically” ordered by President Vladimir Putin and an attempt to undermine the trilateral dialogue [2]. President Volodymyr Zelensky reiterated refusal to cede Donbas and cited forthcoming U.S. security guarantees, pending congressional and parliamentary approval [2]. President Donald Trump claimed Putin accepted an invitation to join a “Board of Peace,” while Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov invoked the Anchorage formula, insisting any settlement must address territory [2].
Sources
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1.
CNN: Russia’s largest overnight air strike hits Ukraine amid Abu Dhabi trilateral talks: details the 370‑drone, 21‑missile barrage, casualty figures, infrastructure damage, and continuation of Abu Dhabi talks with U.S. envoys Kushner and Witkoff .
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2.
BBC: Ukraine condemns fresh Russian strikes as Abu Dhabi peace talks continue: emphasizes the “brutal” characterization by FM Sybiha, casualty counts, heating outages, Zelensky’s stance on Donbas, Trump’s Board of Peace claim, and Kremlin’s Anchorage formula reference .
Timeline
2022 – Russia invades Ukraine, launching a full‑scale war that later drives multiple diplomatic initiatives, including the 2025 Anchorage talks and the 2026 Abu Dhabi trilateral negotiations. [1][2]
Aug 2025 – Russia, the United States and Ukraine meet in Anchorage and agree on a “formula” that would let Russia retain control of Donbas and Crimea, a framework later cited by Kremlin officials as essential for any settlement. [1]
Early Jan 2026 – President Donald Trump announces that Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to join the Board of Peace, a body intended to end global conflicts, adding a new diplomatic angle to the Abu Dhabi talks. [1]
Jan 24, 2026 – Russia launches its largest overnight aerial strike, deploying over 370 drones and 21 missiles against Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy and Chernihiv, focusing on energy infrastructure and causing widespread damage. [2]
Jan 24, 2026 – Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko reports one civilian death, four injuries, fires, loss of heat for ~6,000 apartments and water cuts as temperatures plunge to –12 °C. [2][1]
Jan 24, 2026 – Kharkiv mayor Ihor Terekhov says a maternity hospital and a displaced‑people dormitory are hit, wounding at least 19 people, including a child. [2][1]
Jan 24, 2026 – Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha condemns the assault as “cynically” ordered by Putin, calling it a barbaric attack on the peace table and urging a special tribunal. [1]
Jan 24, 2026 – Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov stresses that any lasting settlement must follow the Anchorage formula, which allows Russia to keep Donbas and Crimea, underscoring the territorial deadlock. [1]
Jan 24, 2026 – President Volodymyr Zelensky rejects any territorial concessions, insists Ukraine will not cede Donbas, and says he has secured a deal with Trump on future U.S. security guarantees that must be approved by both Congress and the Ukrainian parliament. [1]
Jan 24, 2026 – Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov thanks the U.S. delegation (Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Josh Gruenbaum) and calls for a dignified, lasting peace, while noting it is too early to assess the talks’ outcomes. [2][1]
Jan 24, 2026 – The Abu Dhabi trilateral talks resume after the overnight strike, with closed‑door sessions continuing despite the core dispute over Donbas remaining unresolved. [1][2]