Russia launched multiple missile strikes on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second‑largest city, on Monday, 5 January, targeting energy infrastructure and causing “very serious damage,” local authorities said. The attacks occurred as world leaders prepare for a Ukraine peace summit in Paris this week.
According to the mayor of Kharkiv, Ihor Terekhov, five missile strikes hit the city’s energy system, damaging facilities crucial for heating, water and electricity, services vital amid winter conditions.
“This is not just an attack on facilities. It’s an attack on heating, on water, on people’s normal lives,” Terekhov wrote on Telegram.
At least one civilian was injured, the regional prosecutor’s office said, according to emergency teams who responded to the aftermath of the strikes. Emergency services released also images of rescuers removing people on stretchers from a gutted clinic building.
“Doctors and nurses were forced to evacuate the wounded under fire,” Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said via a post on X.
“It was a terrible night for us,” Margaryta Maliovana, the clinic’s CEO, told AFP.
“One person died. A young man, 30 years old, was killed,” Maliovana stated, adding that there were 26 patients in the clinic at the time of the attack.
In the eastern city of Dnipro, a separate strike damaged a facility owned by the U.S. agricultural producer Bunge, causing an estimated 300‑tonne spill of sunflower oil, city officials said.
Workers have been engaged in cleanup efforts, spreading sand and gravel to manage the spill, and a riverside road has been closed for several days.
Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry has condemned the Dnipro strike as deliberate, saying Russia has repeatedly targeted American business interests in Ukraine. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha described the facility’s repeated targeting as evidence of a systemic pattern rather than accidental damage.
These latest strikes form part of a broader surge in Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure since November, according to energy suppliers and local officials.
The attack left many regions with limited or disrupted electricity and heating. Entire cities have experienced power outages following missile and drone barrages.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow about the latest strikes.
Paris peace talks
The attacks come as a meeting, hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, is expected to bring together officials from the “Coalition of the Willing” on Tuesday.
Macron and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will be joined by more than 27 world leaders, along with senior U.S. negotiators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, as part of efforts to coordinate a common Ukrainian, European and American position to take to Moscow.
Territorial disputes remain a major obstacle, and fighting continues across the frontlines. Ahead of Tuesday’s summit, military officials, including the head of Ukraine’s general staff, were in Paris to draft concrete commitments, as previous military pledges have largely been vague.
According to a note sent to the 35 invited delegations, the meeting will focus on securing contributions to a multinational force for Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire, as well as broader security guarantees, including binding commitments in case of renewed attacks.
The coalition also aims to coordinate these plans with the negotiating positions of Ukraine, the U.S. and Europe, and to define next steps to increase support for Ukraine and pressure Moscow if it refuses meaningful negotiations.
A French presidency official said the operational details of the security guarantees have been agreed upon and stressed the need for long-term commitments from participating countries.
A senior European official added that firming up the coalition’s guarantees should help cement U.S. commitments, previously outlined in bilateral talks.
In a national address on Sunday, Zelenskyy said Ukraine is preparing for both diplomacy and further active defence, emphasising that the country “wants peace.”
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade ...
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes ai...
Kyrgyzstan is seeking to boost fuel imports from China as it looks to diversify supplies and reduce the risks of its heavy reliance on Russia....
U.S. President Donald Trump says Washington is not seeking an extension of its memorandum of understanding with Iran, claiming the U.S. already controls the Strait of Hormuz through its naval blockade.
Iran has said the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils the terms of an interim deal, including lifting the maritime blockade and sanctions and releasing Iran’s frozen assets.
Ukraine has targeted at least 20 Wildberries warehouses across Russia since 18 July, disrupting a major logistics network. Kyiv says the strikes aim to disrupt alleged military-linked supplies, while the attacks have caused billions of dollars in losses and wider economic pressure.
South Korea's presidential Blue House said on Monday it was reviewing U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on scaling back joint military drills. It added that it hoped a favourable relationship between Washington and Pyongyang could lead to meaningful talks.
Azerbaijan exported goods worth $17.372 million to Armenia between January and July 2026, according to data from the State Customs Committee, as commercial ties between the two South Caucasus neighbours showed signs of expansion.
Britain will continue to support Ukraine “100 per cent” against Russia’s invasion, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Tuesday, after Moscow warned London of consequences over reports that British-made drones had been used in strikes on Russian territory.
Russia has summoned Japan’s ambassador to Moscow and delivered a strong protest over what it called “anti-Russian” remarks by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi concerning four disputed islands.
Pakistan is turning to more U.S. crude as disruption around the Strait of Hormuz exposes the risks of its heavy reliance on Gulf energy supplies.
U.S. Forces Korea (USFK) Commander Xavier Brunson visited South Korea's Defence Ministry on Tuesday to discuss plans to scale back the joint Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercise, according to media reports.
European countries are stepping up investment in drones and counter-drone technology as unmanned systems reshape modern warfare, driving demand for new production and capabilities across the continent.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment