‘Psychological war on society’: Russia plunges Ukraine into darkness

Al Jazeera Human InterestNews ReportEN 4 min read 100% complete by Nils AdlerJanuary 23, 2026 at 09:49 AM

Part of Story

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,445

AI Summary

medium article 4 min

Following recent large-scale Russian aerial strikes targeting Ukraine's infrastructure in January 2026, Kyiv is experiencing widespread blackouts and heating outages, with temperatures well below freezing. Approximately half of the capital's homes are without power, prompting President Zelenskyy to declare a state of emergency in the energy sector. The attacks, which included drones and ballistic missiles, have plunged key buildings like the Parliament into darkness and caused water pipes to burst due to freezing temperatures. Despite the challenging conditions, young people in Kyiv are gathering in cafes and bars powered by generators to maintain morale. The United Nations has condemned the strikes as a violation of international law, with Zelenskyy accusing Russia of weaponizing the cold.

Article Analysis

Framing Angle

Human Interest

Primary framing

Conflict

Secondary framing

Mixed Tone

Sensationalism

Factual

Fact vs Opinion

OpinionFactual

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Well sourced

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Key Claims (5)

AI-Extracted

It’s really important for the youth to meet up and do stuff together so we don’t break down mentally.

quote — Karina Sema100% confidence

United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk denounced the strikes as a “cruel” and clear violation of international law.

quote — Volker Turk100% confidence

Repeated attacks have pushed President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to issue a state of emergency in the energy sector.

factual — Al Jazeera100% confidence

Russia fired drones and ballistic missiles across the country, plunging the city, including the Ukrainian Parliament, into darkness.

factual — Al Jazeera90% confidence

About half the capital’s homes are without heating or power after large Russian aerial strikes on Ukraine.

factual — Al Jazeera90% confidence

Claims are automatically extracted and should be independently verified. Attribution indicates the stated source of the claim.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Al Jazeera ×250% Volker Turk 50% UN 60% Volodymyr Zelenskyy ×275% Kyiv ×385% Russia ×390% Ukraine ×495%

Keywords

ukraine 100% russia 90% energy infrastructure 80% blackouts 80% aerial strikes 70% psychological war 70% power outages 60% heating 60% state of emergency 50% kyiv 50%