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

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the U.S. is proposing a deal to end the Russia-Ukraine war by June, potentially influenced by upcoming U.S. midterm elections. Zelensky indicated that the next round of peace talks could occur in about a week, following a proposed energy truce. The U.S. has advised both Ukraine and Russia to halt strikes on energy targets as a de-escalation measure, which Ukraine has accepted. However, shortly after Zelensky's comments, Russian forces launched a missile and drone barrage targeting Ukraine's power grid, leaving much of western Ukraine without essential services.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the US has proposed a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace settlement. According to Zelenskyy, the Trump administration intends to pressure both countries to end the war by the beginning of summer, potentially influenced by the upcoming midterm elections. He also mentioned that the US is proposing to host further trilateral talks, possibly in Miami, following recent discussions in Abu Dhabi that were described as constructive. This new deadline follows previous unsuccessful attempts by the US to broker a peace agreement. Zelenskyy indicated Ukraine has confirmed its participation in the next round of talks.

According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the US has set a June deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a peace agreement to end their nearly four-year war. Zelenskyy stated that the US is likely to put pressure on both parties to meet this timeline. The Trump administration has also proposed a new round of trilateral talks in Miami next week, which Ukraine has confirmed it will attend. These developments follow US-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi that yielded little progress, with Russia demanding Ukraine withdraw from the Donbas region, a condition Kyiv rejects. Despite the lack of a breakthrough, both sides recently agreed to exchange 157 prisoners of war each, and Zelenskyy indicated that prisoner swaps will continue.

On February 1, 2026, a Russian drone strike in the Dnipropetrovsk region of east-central Ukraine killed 12 miners and injured 16. The miners were traveling on a bus after finishing their shift at a DTEK-operated coal mine. The strike was part of a larger Russian attack on Ukrainian mining operations, a critical hub for heating during a winter freeze. The attack occurred despite a partial truce requested by President Trump and planned peace talks in the United Arab Emirates. Russia's ongoing attacks have devastated Ukraine's power grid this winter, leaving many without heat and power, even after a previously agreed upon pause in attacks.

Russia and Ukraine conducted a prisoner exchange of 157 people each, including soldiers and civilians, after US-brokered peace talks in Abu Dhabi. The exchange, the first in four months, involved the return of Ukrainians held captive since 2022 and Russian soldiers held by Kyiv. The talks, involving Russian, Ukrainian, and US teams, aimed to find a resolution to the ongoing conflict. Territorial concessions demanded by Russia and security guarantees for Ukraine are major obstacles to a potential agreement. While the US envoy described the talks as productive, no breakthrough was achieved, and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed a desire for faster progress.

Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine's power grid on Saturday, causing widespread emergency outages across most regions. Ukrenergo, the state grid operator, reported that the attack damaged energy infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands without power and heating. The ongoing assault occurred despite US-brokered peace talks between Ukraine and Russia, which have been held in Abu Dhabi since January. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of deliberately targeting energy infrastructure during the nearly four-year war. Restoration efforts will commence as soon as the security situation permits.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated on Friday that the Ukrainian air force needs to improve its performance amidst ongoing Russian drone attacks. These attacks have been targeting Ukraine's energy sector, causing widespread blackouts, particularly in Kyiv. Residents are seeking refuge in emergency shelters called "Points of Invincibility" to cope with the power outages. In Zaporizhzhia, a Russian aerial strike hit a stray dog shelter, resulting in the evacuation of wounded animals. The attacks highlight the strain on Ukraine's infrastructure and the need for enhanced air defense capabilities.

On January 30, 2026, day 1,436 of the Russia-Ukraine war, intensified fighting resulted in casualties on both sides. A Russian drone attack in Vilniansk, Zaporizhia region, killed three civilians and destroyed homes, while other Russian attacks caused deaths and injuries in Kryvyi Rih, Druzhkivka, and Khatnie. The death toll from a previous attack on Odesa rose to four. A Ukrainian drone attack reportedly killed a hospital employee in Russia's Belgorod region, and Russia claimed to have shot down 111 Ukrainian drones. Kyiv is facing an energy crisis with hundreds of residential buildings without heating as temperatures plummet. Presidents Zelenskyy and Trump announced an agreement with Russia for a week-long ceasefire in Kyiv and other cities due to severe winter weather, facilitated by discussions in the United Arab Emirates.

Ukraine is bracing for severe winter weather as President Trump announced that Russia's Putin agreed to halt attacks on Ukraine's power grid. Trump stated Putin agreed to his request to pause targeting Kyiv and other towns for one week due to the frigid temperatures causing hardship for civilians. However, Trump did not specify when the call with Putin occurred or when the moratorium would begin, and the White House has not provided further clarification. The Kremlin has not confirmed Putin's commitment. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy expressed skepticism about Russia's willingness to end the war, which is approaching its fourth anniversary next month.

A technical malfunction on Saturday caused the failure of key electricity lines connecting Ukraine with Moldova and Romania, leading to mass power outages across Ukraine. The incident, which occurred at 10:42 am, affected both the 400-kilovolt line between Romania and Moldova and the 750-kilovolt line between western and central Ukraine. The outages disrupted water supplies in Kyiv and forced the shutdown of the city's metro system, impacting transportation for many residents. Ukraine's Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal stated that power restoration efforts were underway and expected to be completed within hours. President Zelensky called the event an emergency and emphasized the need to quickly stabilize the situation.

U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff held "productive and constructive meetings" with Russian envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida on Saturday as part of the Trump administration's effort to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Jared Kushner, and Josh Gruenbaum also attended the meetings. Witkoff, Kushner, and Gruenbaum previously met with Putin in Moscow and then with negotiators from Ukraine and Russia, with Zelenskyy describing the talks as constructive. Trump stated that Putin agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv for one week due to the extreme cold. Witkoff expressed optimism that Russia is working toward peace in Ukraine and that a peace deal is expected soon.

US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff held "productive" talks with Russian Special Envoy Kirill Dmitriev in Florida regarding the war in Ukraine. The meeting, attended by other US officials, occurred ahead of a second round of US-mediated negotiations between Ukrainian and Russian negotiators in Abu Dhabi. These talks aim to advance a US-backed plan to end the nearly four-year conflict. This follows the first direct public negotiations between Moscow and Kyiv since the war's early stages, also mediated by the US in Abu Dhabi. President Trump stated progress is being made toward a deal, and Russia agreed to pause attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure during extreme winter conditions following a request from Trump.

In January 2026, Donald Trump announced that Russia agreed to pause bombing Kyiv and other Ukrainian towns for one week due to extreme winter conditions. Ukrainian President Zelenskyy welcomed Trump's announcement, calling it an important step towards securing Ukrainian cities during the cold weather. The pause was reportedly discussed during ceasefire talks in the United Arab Emirates, with Zelenskyy expressing hope for the agreement's implementation. Trump stated that he personally requested the pause from President Putin, citing the "extraordinary cold." The announcement comes as Kyiv struggles to restore power and heating to residential buildings following recent Russian bombings, with temperatures expected to drop significantly.