NATO chief inspects damaged Kyiv power plant after Russian overnight strikes

NATO chief inspects damaged Kyiv power plant after Russian overnight strikes
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visits a thermal power plant heavily damaged by Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, 3 Feb, 2026
Reuters

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday inspected a thermal power plant in Kyiv that was damaged during overnight Russian attacks, as Ukraine accused Moscow of exploiting an energy truce to intensify its military campaign.

Ukrainian Prime Minister and Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal showed Rutte touring the facility and being briefed on the extent of the damage caused by the strikes.

The visit came hours after Russian attacks knocked out heating in several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv, amid freezing winter temperatures. The strikes occurred as Ukrainian negotiators prepared to travel to Abu Dhabi for a second round of U.S.-brokered trilateral talks involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia had used a U.S.-backed pause in attacks on energy infrastructure to stockpile weapons, before launching what he described as hundreds of drone strikes and a record number of ballistic missiles.

Speaking alongside Rutte at a joint press conference, Zelenskyy said the two discussed the urgent need for additional air defence systems and the possibility of licences for U.S. weapons production in Europe.

He did not say whether the talks had produced concrete outcomes.

Russia has not commented on the specific accusations, but Moscow previously said it agreed to limit strikes on energy infrastructure at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump, an arrangement Kyiv said it would also observe.

Ukraine’s energy system has been repeatedly targeted since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, with officials warning that renewed strikes during winter pose a serious humanitarian risk.

The latest attacks underline the fragile nature of the energy truce as diplomatic efforts to halt the nearly four-year war continue.

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