Blackout
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Oleksandr Syrskyi at the Ukraine-NATO Council meeting reported on the difficult situation at the front and spoke about the specific needs of the Defense Forces. He emphasized the significant deficit of air defense assets.
The winter of 2026 became one of the most difficult periods for Ukraine due to massive Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. The international community is providing comprehensive assistance to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.
Ukraine received 50 tons of humanitarian aid from the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Spain, and Norway. The aid includes transformers, generators, and other energy equipment.
SES divers eliminated flooding at a Kyiv thermal power plant, damaged by shelling, in temperatures down to –15 °C. The special operation lasted six days, the water leak was stopped, and the participants were awarded.
Russia's attacks on power substations in Ukraine threaten nuclear safety, ignoring IAEA warnings. This creates risks of power outages at Chornobyl and other nuclear power plants.
Ukrzaliznytsia has switched to an updated timetable for 118 long-distance trains and over a hundred regional and suburban routes. The changes are aimed at solving the problem of mass delays caused by shelling and detours.
A powerful tropical storm caused a massive landslide on Mount Maunganui in New Zealand, burying a popular campsite. Several people are officially reported missing, and a search operation is underway.
The Ukrainian delegation in Davos held meetings with BlackRock, and the Prime Ministers of Norway and Qatar. Economic development, post-war recovery, and security guarantees were discussed.
Japan will allocate $6 billion for humanitarian and technical support to Ukraine in 2026. Total aid from Japan since the beginning of the invasion has exceeded $15 billion.
DTEK reports that Kyiv cannot have stable power outage schedules due to the emergency mode of the energy system. Electricity is switched on and off manually, which causes uneven outages.
In Kyiv Oblast, 3. 5 stages of electricity blackouts are in effect due to enemy attacks on energy infrastructure. These are forced steps to maintain the stability of the energy system and restore it.
The Ministry of Energy expresses its condolences on the death of Oleksiy Brekht, a member of the board of NPC "Ukrenergo". He dedicated over 25 years to the energy sector, rising from an engineer to the head of the system operator.
In nine regions of Ukraine, Kyivstar's infrastructure is disconnected from electricity supply by 40-60%. At the same time, less than 10% of the company's network is not working.
Law enforcement officers exposed a scheme of embezzlement of funds intended for payments under the "green" tariff. Nine people have been notified of suspicion, including Rostyslav Shurma, former deputy head of the President's Office.
President Zelenskyy held an energy meeting, identifying Kyiv, Kharkiv, Chernihiv and their regions, Sumy region, and Dnipro region as areas with the most difficult situation. He emphasized the need for additional measures and resources to restore electricity supply, especially in Kyiv, where almost 60% of the capital remains without electricity, and also instructed to check the reservations of energy workers and utility workers.
The Ukrainian government is allocating over UAH 2. 5 billion for the purchase of high-capacity generators for Dnipropetrovsk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv regions. This equipment is intended for heat and electricity generation in the regions that need it most.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko denied reports of two plumbers dying. He confirmed the death of one 60-year-old plumber on January 19, and the causes are being investigated.
Former South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo has been sentenced to 23 years in prison for his role in facilitating the declaration of martial law. The court found him guilty of sedition and perjury, which could impact the case of former President Yoon.
Due to night attacks by the Russian Federation, consumers in four regions are without power. In Kyiv and the region, the situation remains difficult due to frosts and additional load.
In the occupied areas of Donetsk region, frosts have worsened the water supply situation, leaving entire neighborhoods without access to drinking water. The city's infrastructure cannot withstand winter conditions due to a lack of modernization.
In 2025, the amount of cash in circulation in Ukraine increased by 12. 6% to UAH 926.3 billion, due to the recovery of economic activity and the risks of attacks. 500-hryvnia banknotes are most in circulation, and the number of 100- and 50-hryvnia banknotes increased for the first time in years.
The ATESH movement disrupted the supply of Russian army units in the north of Kharkiv Oblast by carrying out sabotage on the railway in Belgorod Oblast. This caused train delays and a shortage of ammunition at forward positions.
Russia is trying to destroy Ukraine's critical infrastructure, but the Kremlin will not achieve its goals. Andriy Kovalenko, head of the CPD of the National Security and Defense Council, noted that Ukraine's best professionals - utility workers, energy workers, military personnel, etc. - are working to ensure that the Russians fail.
Due to the consequences of Russian shelling, emergency power outages have been introduced in several regions of Ukraine. Energy workers are working to restore stable electricity supply; power outage schedules are temporarily not in effect.
The US is preparing for a massive winter storm this weekend that could affect several states at once.
Russian troops attacked Zaporizhzhia with drones, killing three civilians, including a married couple and their neighbor. Two more people were injured, six houses and three cars were damaged.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that over a million consumers in Kyiv are without electricity. The situation is also difficult in Zaporizhzhia, where more protective equipment has been ordered to be sent.
After the night attack by Russia, the most difficult situation with electricity supply is in Kyiv, Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Donetsk, and Poltava regions. The duration of forced outages outside of schedules in these regions is the longest.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine summoned the head of the ICRC Mission over a statement that equated the responsibility of Ukraine and Russia for human suffering. Representatives of the ICRC acknowledged the inappropriateness of such comparisons.
After the enemy's night attack on the capital, 4,000 out of 5,635 multi-story buildings that were without heat supply still remain without heat. This is almost 33% of Kyiv's housing stock, which is being reconnected for the second time after infrastructure damage.