Ukraine's parliament building is among thousands left without electricity, heating and water after Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, officials said.
An estimated one million residents of Kyiv were also without power, water or heating after a major drone and missile strike.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker from the Holos party, said the parliament's support office would work remotely on Wednesday due to a lack of water and heating in the building.
Russia has continued to bombard major Ukrainian cities even as envoys for US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin held a two-hour meeting in Davos yesterday to discuss a deal to end Russia's invasion.
Putin's envoy Kirill Dmitriev claimed the meeting was a success, saying "more and more people understand the fairness of Russia's position".
Trump is due to arrive in Davos later today but Volodymyr Zelensky has decided to skit the summit amid the ongoing attacks on Kyiv
Key Points
- Evacuation ordered in Russia after Ukrainian drone attacks injure 8
- Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
- Trump and Putin envoys say Davos meeting on Ukraine was 'very positive' and 'constructive'
- Ukraine’s defence minister pushes domestic drones to replace China's Mavic drones
- Ukraine's defence minister says aim is to 'kill 50,000 Russians a month'
Ukraine's defence minister says aim is to 'kill 50,000 Russians a month'
07:20 , Arpan RaiUkraine's priority is to inflict as many losses on Russia as possible and the aim is to deplete their forces by at least “50,000 Russians per month”, new defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov has said.
Fedorov was sharing his top two priorities in his new role and said his first objective was to improve oversight in the military.
"Management must be built around those capable of achieving defined goals. If people don’t demonstrate measurable results, they can’t remain in the system," he said.
“The second strategic objective is to kill 50,000 Russians per month," he said.
"Last month, 35,000 were killed; all these losses are verified on video. If we reach 50,000, we will see what happens to the enemy. They view people as a resource, and shortages are already evident,” he said.
Russian attacks leave Ukraine parliament among thousands of buildings in Kyiv without power
07:05 , Arpan RaiUkraine's parliament building is among thousands left without electricity, heating and water after Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, officials said.
"After another Russian missile and drone attack, Ukrainian cities have been left without electricity, water, and heating. The Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine is currently without these basic services as well," Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament’s speaker, said.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker from the Holos party, said on the Telegram app that parliament's support office would work remotely today due to a lack of water and heating in the building. There were no parliamentary sessions scheduled on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Russian attacks cut heating supplies to 5,635 multi-storey residential apartment buildings.
Strikes on energy infrastructure creates 'brutal conditions inside Ukraine' warns international law foundation
07:00 , Arpan RaiWayne Jordash KC, president of Global Rights Compliance, has warned of Russia’s calculated weaponisation of infrastructure during the Ukraine’s harshest winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.
He said: "Russia's widespread and systematic strikes on Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure are creating brutal conditions inside Ukraine during the freezing winter, with temperatures more severe than usual.
“These callous attacks bear the clear hallmarks of inhumane acts constituting crimes against humanity, and they are certainly war crimes, intentionally condemning many of Ukraine's civilian population to cold, dark conditions for most of the day and night.
“Electricity, heating, and water are essential, not only for household tasks such as cooking, washing, and keeping households warm, but to ensure the safety of children, the elderly and the handicapped at home and in healthcare who are particularly at risk from the cold and the deprivation.
“Russia’s continued weaponisation of infrastructure is part of a calculated plan to fracture communities, paralyse Ukraine’s economy, and push the population to the brink. As anybody who knows Ukrainians, it will not work. But Ukraine’s European allies must ramp up their support with urgent energy aid packages to enable the country to weather these cruel attacks and avoid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis."
Who is going to Davos today?
06:50 , Arpan RaiOrganisers say a record of nearly 400 top political leaders, including more than 60 heads of state and government, and nearly 850 chairs and chief executives of many of the world's leading companies.
Headlining the lineup is US president Donald Trump, who's set to deliver a speech on Wednesday, and several Cabinet ministers and top advisers including secretary of state Marco Rubio, treasury secretary Scott Bessent and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
President Emmanuel Macron of France, European commission president Ursula von der Leyen, president Ahmad al-Sharaa of Syria, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, president Felix Tshisekedi of Congo, and vice premier He Lifeng of China are among the who's-who of top attendees.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will not be attending.
Trump's fight for Greenland hits Ukraine postwar deal – report
06:42 , Arpan RaiA major deal to fund Ukraine's post-war reconstruction will no longer be signed in Davos with Europe and Donald Trump now at loggerheads over Greenland, according to the FT.
Six officials aware of the disagreements between European capitals and Washington confirmed that a planned announcement of an $800bn "prosperity plan" for Ukraine will now be delayed.
The agreement was going to be between Ukraine, Europe and the US, the report added.
While one of the officials confirmed “no signing as of now,” another said “nobody is in any mood to stage a grand spectacle around an agreement with Trump right now".
Another official told the FT that European capitals could not simply ignore the US president’s actions on Greenland while trying to make progress on other Trump-related matters such as Ukraine.
One of the officials said Greenland and the Board of Peace controversy – with Trump inviting Putin to join despite his ongoing aggression against a European neighbour – had “eclipsed” a previously planned focus on Ukraine at the Swiss meeting.
Trump says he is unable to end Ukraine war due to Kyiv and Moscow
06:34 , Arpan RaiUS president Donald Trump said he has been unable to end Russia’s war against Ukraine, blaming both sides for failing to agree to a deal.
“I'm trying to resolve the issue of Russia and Ukraine. And when Russia is ready – Ukraine is not ready. When Ukraine is ready – Russia is not ready,” he said at the White House, before departing for the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Trump said he is trying to end what he described as the “last conflict,” but has not yet succeeded."But on average, they lose 25,000 people a month. And I'm trying to bring this matter to an end."
Trump official insists relations with Europe have 'never been closer'
06:09 , Arpan RaiWith president Donald Trump not due to address the elite global gathering until Wednesday, it fell to his treasury secretary to take up his defence in Switzerland.
“I think our relations have never been closer," Scott Bessent said, playing down the rift among Western countries over Greenland. "Calm down the hysteria. Take a deep breath."
He added: "We are in the middle of President Trump's policies. And of course, Europe is an ally, the US-Nato membership is unquestioned. We are partners in trying to stop this tragic war between Russia and Ukraine, but that does not mean that we cannot have disagreements on the future of Greenland."
UK and Denmark to discuss Ukraine and Arctic security at defence talks
05:50 , Arpan RaiBritain and Denmark will hold defence talks today focusing on security in the Arctic region, the British government said, at a time when US president Donald Trump's designs on Greenland threaten to upend historic alliances.
Defence secretary John Healey will be in Copenhagen today, his ministry said.
He will discuss how European nations can step up security in the "high north", a term used to refer to the European Arctic which includes the island of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
The UK and Denmark want to protect critical national infrastructure in the Baltic and high north.
They will discuss a planned exercise later this year by the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led northern European rapid response military partnership.
Support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, as well as counter-drone cooperation, will also be on the agenda.
Russia says drone fragments caused fire at Afipsky oil refinery in Krasnodar
05:38 , Arpan RaiDrone fragments caused a fire at the Afipsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region without inflicting any injuries or damage, local emergencies centre said this morning.
The fire was extinguished, it said.
Ukrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring 11 people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said.
Trump's fight for Greenland hits Ukraine postwar deal – report
05:25 , Arpan RaiA major deal to fund Ukraine's post-war reconstruction will no longer be signed in Davos with Europe and Donald Trump now at loggerheads over Greenland, according to the FT.
Six officials aware of the disagreements between European capitals and Washington confirmed that a planned announcement of an $800bn "prosperity plan" for Ukraine will now be delayed.
The agreement was going to be between Ukraine, Europe and the US, the report added.
While one of the officials confirmed “no signing as of now,” another said “nobody is in any mood to stage a grand spectacle around an agreement with Trump right now".
Another official told the FT that European capitals could not simply ignore the US president’s actions on Greenland while trying to make progress on other Trump-related matters such as Ukraine.
One of the officials said Greenland and the Board of Peace controversy – with Trump inviting Putin to join despite his ongoing aggression against a European neighbour – had “eclipsed” a previously planned focus on Ukraine at the Swiss meeting.
Watch: Russian drone strikes leave over 1 million in Kyiv without electricity, says Zelensky
04:44 , Arpan RaiEvacuation ordered in Russia after Ukrainian drone attacks injure 8
04:19 , Arpan RaiUkrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring eight people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said in the early hours today.
The governor of the Adygean Republic in Russia's North Caucasus, Murat Kumpilov, said a drone struck an apartment building in a village in the Takhtamukaysky district, injuring eight people, including a child. Seven were being treated in hospital, he said.
Kumpilov said at least 15 vehicles were set on fire.
In the adjacent Krasnodar region on the Black Sea, governor Venyamin Kondratiev said a drone fell near an apartment building in a village south of the main regional centre of Krasnodar.
The building's residents had been evacuated and temporary shelters set up.
Kondratiev said an attack on the coastal town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk had damaged two private homes. Drone fragments had also hit the ground in Sochi, the region's major coastal town, but caused no damage.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
03:57 , Arpan RaiOleksandra Oliynykova, the Ukrainian tennis player, made a distinctive impression at the Australian Open, not only for her unconventional playing style and striking body art but also for a poignant message subtly conveyed after her first-round loss to defending champion Madison Keys.
Following her defeat on Rod Laver Arena, Oliynykova appeared at a post-match news conference wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with a powerful plea: "I need your help to protect Ukrainian women and children but I can’t talk about it here."
This statement navigated the Grand Slam guidelines, which typically discourage players from using competition venues for political declarations.
The player said she came close to being hit in an attack before coming to Australia to play. "There was an explosion just near my home and a drone hit the home just across the road," she told Melbourne Age newspaper. "My apartment was literally shaking because of the explosion."
She has also called for a ban on world number one Aryna Sabalenka and other Belarusian and Russian players from tennis, saying their presence was "very wrong" with the war going on.
Ukrainian star sends powerful T-shirt message at Australian Open
Trump and Putin envoys say Davos meeting on Ukraine was 'very positive' and 'constructive'
03:39 , Arpan RaiEnvoys for US president Donald Trump and Russian president Vladimir Putin said that their meeting in Davos yesterday on a possible future peace deal to end the Ukraine war had been "very positive" and "constructive".
“Dialogue is constructive and more and more people understand the fairness of Russia's position," Putin envoy Kirill Dmitriev said after talks with Trump's envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner at "USA House" at Davos.
Witkoff said: "We had a very positive meeting," Russia's RIA news agency reported. The meeting lasted for two hours, a source who spoke on condition of anonymity said.
Trump’s continued push to bring the war in Ukraine to an end has seen his envoys hold meetings with both Russian and Ukrainian delegations but no deal has yet been reached.
Ukraine's European allies, currently fighting off Trump's threats against Greenland, are concerned the United States could force Ukraine into accepting territorial concessions.
Ukraine’s defence minister pushes domestic drones to replace China's Mavic drones
03:27 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s military is working to replace Chinese-made drones with domestically produced models to help the war-hit nation move away from imports and sanctioned supply lines, the newly appointed defence minister said.
Mykhailo Fedorov said Ukraine would continue to rely on drones as a tool of asymmetric warfare – using novel weapons and methods against a larger opponent.
“It is important to find a replacement for Mavics and other Chinese drones,” Fedorov said, referring to a common consumer model produced by the Chinese company DJI.
“This direction must be developed.”
Fedorov said that Ukraine plans to create a local version with the same camera, but a longer flight range, and that testing could begin as soon as this month.
Imported drones and components remain crucial, however, and many come from China, which is subject to western sanctions and is seen as friendly to Russia.
Russian attacks leave Ukraine parliament among thousands of buildings in Kyiv without power
03:06 , Arpan RaiUkraine's parliament building is among thousands left without electricity, heating and water after Russia’s overnight strikes on Ukraine’s energy grid, officials said.
"After another Russian missile and drone attack, Ukrainian cities have been left without electricity, water, and heating. The Verkhovna Rada (parliament) of Ukraine is currently without these basic services as well," Ruslan Stefanchuk, the parliament’s speaker, said.
Yaroslav Zhelezniak, a lawmaker from the Holos party, said on the Telegram app that parliament's support office would work remotely today due to a lack of water and heating in the building. There were no parliamentary sessions scheduled on Tuesday.
Yesterday, Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko said the Russian attacks cut heating supplies to 5,635 multi-storey residential apartment buildings.
UK and Denmark to discuss Ukraine and Arctic security at defence talks
03:00 , Arpan RaiBritain and Denmark will hold defence talks today focusing on security in the Arctic region, the British government said, at a time when US president Donald Trump's designs on Greenland threaten to upend historic alliances.
Defence secretary John Healey will be in Copenhagen today, his ministry said.
He will discuss how European nations can step up security in the "high north", a term used to refer to the European Arctic which includes the island of Greenland, a self-governing territory of Denmark.
The UK and Denmark want to protect critical national infrastructure in the Baltic and high north.
They will discuss a planned exercise later this year by the Joint Expeditionary Force, a UK-led northern European rapid response military partnership.
Support for Ukraine against Russia's invasion, as well as counter-drone cooperation, will also be on the agenda.
Strikes on energy infrastructure creates 'brutal conditions inside Ukraine' warns international law foundation
02:02 , Tom BarnesWayne Jordash KC, president of Global Rights Compliance, has warned of Russia’s calculated weaponisation of infrastructure during the Ukraine’s harshest winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.
He said: "Russia's widespread and systematic strikes on Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure are creating brutal conditions inside Ukraine during the freezing winter, with temperatures more severe than usual.
“These callous attacks bear the clear hallmarks of inhumane acts constituting crimes against humanity, and they are certainly war crimes, intentionally condemning many of Ukraine's civilian population to cold, dark conditions for most of the day and night.
“Electricity, heating, and water are essential, not only for household tasks such as cooking, washing, and keeping households warm, but to ensure the safety of children, the elderly and the handicapped at home and in healthcare who are particularly at risk from the cold and the deprivation.
“Russia’s continued weaponisation of infrastructure is part of a calculated plan to fracture communities, paralyse Ukraine’s economy, and push the population to the brink. As anybody who knows Ukrainians, it will not work. But Ukraine’s European allies must ramp up their support with urgent energy aid packages to enable the country to weather these cruel attacks and avoid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis."
Ukrainian drone attacks injure 8 in southern Russia, officials say
01:03 , Tom BarnesUkrainian drones struck towns in southern Russia, injuring eight people and prompting the evacuation of several residents, local officials said early on Wednesday.
The governor of the Adygean Republic in Russia's North Caucasus, Murat Kumpilov, said a drone struck an apartment building in a village in the Takhtamukaysky district, injuring eight people, including a child. Seven were being treated in hospital.
Kumpilov, writing on Telegram, said at least 15 vehicles were set on fire.
In the adjacent Krasnodar region on the Black Sea, Governor Venyamin Kondratiev said a drone fell near an apartment building in a village south of the main regional centre of Krasnodar.
The building's residents had been evacuated and temporary shelters set.
Kondratiev said an attack on the coastal town of Primorsko-Akhtarsk had damaged two private homes. Drone fragments had also hit the ground in Sochi, the region's major coastal town, but caused no damage.
Ukraine says Russia using nuclear risk as a tool of coercion
00:00 , Bryony GoochRussian attacks on Ukraine's energy system threaten nuclear safety and show Moscow is using the risk of nuclear disaster as a tool of coercion, Kyiv's foreign minister said on Tuesday after the UN's atomic watchdog said substations vital for nuclear safety were affected by strikes.
"While Russian officials speak about the 'importance' of power lines, their forces deliberately strike substations, directly endangering nuclear safety and defying repeated IAEA warnings," Andrii Sybiha wrote on X.
What's different about Davos this year?
Tuesday 20 January 2026 23:00 , Bryony GoochThe geopolitical context has become incredibly complex this year: Trump's pronouncements and policies on subjects as diverse as Venezuela, Greenland and Iran — not to mention his aggressive tariff policies — have upended the world order and raised questions about America's role in the world.
The advent of AI — its promise and perils — has also become a hot topic. Business executives will examine how to apply it to boost efficiency and profits; labor leaders and advocacy groups will warn of its threat to jobs and livelihoods, and policymakers will look to navigate the best way forward between regulation and right to innovate.
Davos conference organisers always trot out buzzwords for the meeting, and this year's is “A Spirit of Dialogue” — around five themes of cooperation, growth, investment in people, innovation and building prosperity.
Critics say Davos is too much talk and not enough action to rectify gaping inequality in the world and address troubles like climate change.
Additional reporting by AP.
Watch: Trump says Putin invited to ‘Board of Peace’, threatens 200% tariffs on French wine over Macron stance
Tuesday 20 January 2026 22:00 , Bryony GoochWho is going to Davos?
Tuesday 20 January 2026 21:00 , Bryony GoochOrganisers say a record of nearly 400 top political leaders, including more than 60 heads of state and government, and nearly 850 chairs and chief executives of many of the world's leading companies.
Headlining the lineup is US president Donald Trump, who's set to deliver a speech on Wednesday, and several Cabinet ministers and top advisers including secretary of state Marco Rubio, treasury secretary Scott Bessent and special envoy Steve Witkoff.
President Emmanuel Macron of France, European commission president Ursula von der Leyen, president Ahmad al-Sharaa of Syria, Canadian prime minister Mark Carney, president Felix Tshisekedi of Congo, and vice premier He Lifeng of China are among the who's-who of top attendees.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine will not be attending.
Additional reporting by AP.
Ukrainian negotiators met security officials from France, Germany and UK in Davos, Kyiv says
Tuesday 20 January 2026 20:00 , Bryony GoochUkrainian peace negotiators met on Tuesday with national security advisers from France, Germany and Britain in Davos, Rustem Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council, said.
"Further meetings with partners on security guarantees, economic development, and Ukraine's recovery are ahead," Umerov said on the Telegram app.
Will Zelensky go to Davos?
Tuesday 20 January 2026 19:00 , Bryony GoochIt looks more and more unlikely that Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky will make an appearance at Davos as he’s said any journey to Switzerland is conditional on a bilateral meeting with Donald Trump.
Zelensky has prioritised staying in Kyiv, which was targeted by a major Russian bombardment overnight.
“Certainly, I chose Ukraine in this case, not the economic forum, but everything can change at any moment. Because it is very important for Ukrainians to end this war," Zelensky told reporters answering questions in a WhatsApp media chat.
Putin envoy Dmitriev begins meetings in Davos, RIA reports
Tuesday 20 January 2026 18:00 , Bryony GoochRussian president Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev began a series of planned business meetings in Davos on Tuesday, Russian state-run RIA news agency reported.
Dmitriev is a key figure in talks on ending the Ukraine war and exploring future commercial opportunities between Russia and the United States.
Here’s what we know about him:
The blacklisted Kremlin official behind Trump’s ‘pro-Russia’ peace plan for Ukraine
Zelensky pays tribute to defenders of Donetsk Airport
Tuesday 20 January 2026 17:30 , Bryony GoochZelensky has issued a tribute to the defenders of Donetsk Airport.
He said: “Every year on this day, January 20, we remember the defenders of Donetsk Airport. People who held their position for 242 days, never surrendered, and endured encirclement and constant attacks.
“They were called Cyborgs, yet they were simply showing the very best of the Ukrainian character, the Ukrainian heart, and the Ukrainian spirit – not to give up, to fight the occupier, and to astonish the world with what Ukraine is capable of.
“These are exactly the people we must support. We are grateful to everyone standing with Ukraine. We thank everyone who is helping us.”
Every year on this day, January 20, we remember the defenders of Donetsk Airport. People who held their position for 242 days, never surrendered, and endured encirclement and constant attacks.
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 20, 2026
They were called Cyborgs, yet they were simply showing the very best of the Ukrainian… pic.twitter.com/QfvkohYBWF
Pictured: Putin attends a meeting with the Head of the Republic of Adygea, Murat Kumpilov, at the Kremlin
Tuesday 20 January 2026 17:00 , Bryony Gooch
Chernobyl connected to country's power grid after Russia's latest strike
Tuesday 20 January 2026 16:30 , Bryony GoochUkraine's Chernobyl nuclear power plant has been connected to the country's power grid following an overnight Russian air attack on Ukrainian energy facilities, and radiation levels are normal, Kyiv's energy ministry said on Monday.
The International Atomic Energy Agency had earlier said the facility, the site of the world's worst civil nuclear catastrophe, lost all off-site power after the attack.
Moscow court throws out prosecutors' bid to seize US fund's assets
Tuesday 20 January 2026 16:00 , Bryony GoochA Moscow court dismissed on Tuesday a motion by prosecutors to seize the assets of US private equity fund NCH Capital in Russia, the Interfax news agency said, as Russian and US representatives were due to sit down for talks in the Swiss resort of Davos.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the Russian authorities have confiscated or placed under state management assets worth some $50 billion belonging to foreign and Russian owners, with courts generally backing the state's claims.
Prosecutors filed a lawsuit against NCH Capital and its founders, George Rohr, a US citizen, and Moris Tabacinic, an Austrian citizen, seeking to ban NCH's activities in Russia on the grounds that the founders funded Ukraine's military forces.
Watch: Russia reeling from 'snow apocalypse' as record snowfall buries towns
Tuesday 20 January 2026 15:30 , Bryony GoochLavrov says Britain should no longer be called 'great'
Tuesday 20 January 2026 15:00 , Bryony GoochRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Britain should no longer be called Great Britain as it was the only country in the world to officially name itself "Great".
"I think that Britain should be called simply Britain because 'Great Britain' is the only example of a country which calls itself 'Great'," Lavrov told reporters as he spoke about colonialism following comments on Greenland. His spokeswoman then gave Ivor Bennett, a correspondent from Britain's Sky News, a question.
"No offence," Lavrov said.
Lavrov said another example of a country which called itself "great" was the "Great Socialist People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya" led by Muammar Gaddafi.
"But it no longer exists."
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is usually called "Velikobritaniya", or Great Britain, in Russian.
Strikes on energy infrastructure creates 'brutal conditions inside Ukraine' warns international law foundation
Tuesday 20 January 2026 14:30 , Bryony GoochWayne Jordash KC, president of Global Rights Compliance, has warned of Russia’s calculated weaponisation of infrastructure during the Ukraine’s harshest winter since the start of the full-scale invasion.
He said: "Russia's widespread and systematic strikes on Ukrainian civilian energy infrastructure are creating brutal conditions inside Ukraine during the freezing winter, with temperatures more severe than usual.
“These callous attacks bear the clear hallmarks of inhumane acts constituting crimes against humanity, and they are certainly war crimes, intentionally condemning many of Ukraine's civilian population to cold, dark conditions for most of the day and night.
“Electricity, heating, and water are essential, not only for household tasks such as cooking, washing, and keeping households warm, but to ensure the safety of children, the elderly and the handicapped at home and in healthcare who are particularly at risk from the cold and the deprivation.
“Russia’s continued weaponisation of infrastructure is part of a calculated plan to fracture communities, paralyse Ukraine’s economy, and push the population to the brink. As anybody who knows Ukrainians, it will not work. But Ukraine’s European allies must ramp up their support with urgent energy aid packages to enable the country to weather these cruel attacks and avoid a catastrophic humanitarian crisis."
Ukraine captures Russian soldier who 'executed nine Ukrainian POWs'
Tuesday 20 January 2026 14:00 , Arpan RaiUkraine’s Security Service (SBU) has captured a Russian soldier accused of allegedly shooting and killing nine Ukrainian prisoners of war in Kursk oblast in October 2024, Volodymyr Zelensky said.
Zelensky shared the report after his briefing with SBU’s first deputy chief Oleksandr Poklad yesterday.
“The Russian serviceman responsible for the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war in October of last year in the Kursk region has been taken captive,” Zelensky said. “Every Russian murderer must be held accountable for their actions. And so it will be. We are also countering Russian sabotage in the rear,” he said.
Ukraine’s prosecutor general’s office started investigation into reports of Russian soldiers killing Ukrainian soldiers who surrendered as prisoners, in violation of Geneva Convention on war crimes.
A report by Oleksandr Poklad. The Russian serviceman responsible for the execution of Ukrainian prisoners of war in October of last year in the Kursk region has been taken captive. Every Russian murderer must be held accountable for their actions. And so it will be. We are also… pic.twitter.com/s4knYGUAEj
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 19, 2026
Watch: Trump says Putin invited to ‘Board of Peace’, threatens 200% tariffs on French wine over Macron stance
Tuesday 20 January 2026 13:30 , Bryony GoochIn pictures: Ukrainian servicemen shoot down a Russian missile during a strike
Tuesday 20 January 2026 13:00 , Bryony Gooch
Recap: Russia goads Trump on in his Greenland spat with Europe
Tuesday 20 January 2026 12:40 , Arpan RaiRussia is watching with glee as US president Donald Trump's threats to take control of Greenland widen a split with his European allies.
The Kremlin said Trump would "go down in history" if he took control of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory.
"There are international experts who believe that by resolving the issue of Greenland's incorporation, Trump will certainly go down in history. And not only in the history of the United States, but also in world history," Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said.
“It's hard not to agree with these experts,” he said.
President Vladimir Putin's special envoy Kirill Dmitriev hailed the "collapse of the transatlantic union”, while former president Dmitry Medvedev joked about Europe getting poorer.
Russia has been muted in its criticism of Trump in recent weeks as it seeks to ensure any end to the war in Ukraine is defined on Moscow's terms, even though he has carried out or threatened military activity against traditional Russian allies Venezuela and Iran.
Ukraine, Europe should create joint defence force of up to 3 mln, Zelensky says
Tuesday 20 January 2026 12:03 , Bryony GoochUkraine and Europe should create joint defence forces of up to three million people, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday.
Zelensky said in a WhatsApp media chat with journalists that he had initially raised the issue of the need for joint defence forces last year due to the threat from Russia, which plans to increase its armed forces to 2.5 million people by 2030.
Recap: Zelensky warns of 'large-scale attack' in coming days
Tuesday 20 January 2026 12:00 , Arpan RaiVolodymyr Zelensky has warned that Russia is preparing a large-scale attack on Ukraine in the coming days.
"In the coming days, we must remain extremely vigilant – Russia has prepared for a strike, a large-scale strike, and is waiting for the moment to carry it out,” the Ukrainian president said in his nightly video address.
“Please pay attention to all air-raid warnings, and every region must be ready to respond as quickly as possible and support people."
Trump says Europe should focus on Ukraine war, not Greenland
Tuesday 20 January 2026 11:30 , Arpan RaiDonald Trump has said his European counterparts should focus their attentions on the war in Ukraine rather than his attempts to seize control of Greenland from Denmark.
“Europe ought to focus on the war with Russia and Ukraine because, frankly, you see what that’s gotten them,” Trump told NBC News. “That’s what Europe should focus on – not Greenland,” he said.
On being asked if he will implement his plans to punish European countries with his tariffs if a Greenland deal fails to go through, Trump said: “I will, 100%.”
His remarks come after Sir Keir Starmer said it was “completely wrong” for Trump to threaten tariffs against countries who oppose his attempts to take control of Greenland.
The PM said the dispute over Greenland, which Mr Trump wants to take over because of its strategic Arctic location and mineral wealth, should be resolved through “calm discussion between allies” rather than by military action or a trade war.
Breaking: Zelensky cancels Davos trip
Tuesday 20 January 2026 11:13 , Bryony GoochVolodymyr Zelensky has said he is staying in Kyiv following strikes, cancelling plans to attend the World Economic Forum in Davos. He has added his attendance at Davos is conditional on whether documents with the US are ready for signing.
Ukraine’s president said Ukraine and the US were “almost finished” preparations for prosperity package but there was room for Trump to do more in making Vladimir Putin stop the war.
He said Ukraine was invited to join Donald Trump’s “board of peace” and diplomats are working, but it was hard to imagine how Kyiv and Moscow could be on the same board.
Ukraine unveils new air defence system amid fears of ‘massive’ strikes
Tuesday 20 January 2026 11:00 , Bryony Gooch
Ukraine announces new air defence system as it braces for ‘massive’ Russian strikes
Zelensky undecided about travelling to Davos due to uncertainty around Trump meeting
Tuesday 20 January 2026 10:30 , Bryony GoochPresident Volodymyr Zelensky has not decided yet on travelling to Davos as the US has not made clear if a substantive meeting with President Donald Trump will happen, a Ukrainian official said on Tuesday. Ukraine would be ready to sign the documents on security guarantees or prosperity if the US side is ready, the official said.
Russia is preparing to attack nuclear plant infrastructure, says Ukraine
Tuesday 20 January 2026 10:00 , Arpan RaiRussia is preparing for more strikes on Ukraine’s energy facilities, including those that ensure smooth operations of nuclear power plants, Ukrainian energy minister Denys Shmyhal said.
“Just had an important conversation with @rafaelmgrossi. I informed him about [Russia's] preparations for another massive attack on energy infrastructure, including facilities and networks that ensure the operation of NPPs (nuclear power plants).
"We agreed to jointly hear briefings from the heads of [Ukrainian] NPPs and the leaders of @IAEAorg missions in the near future," he said on X.
Shmyhal said the UN nuclear watchdog IAEA - an intergovernmental agency that promotes the safe use of nuclear energy - was working to send a new expert mission to Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, including to the Zaporizhzhia plant, which is currently occupied by Russia.
Poland reopens airports in Rzeszow and Lublin after temporary closure
Tuesday 20 January 2026 09:40 , Bryony GoochRzeszow and Lublin airports in eastern Poland reopened on Tuesday morning after they temporarily suspended operations in order to allow military planes to operate freely, the Polish Air Navigation Services Agency (PANSA) said.
Military aircraft were conducting routine operations in Poland on Tuesday and there was no threat to Polish airspace, Ewa Zlotnicka, a spokesperson for the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces said.
She declined to comment on what kind of aircraft were used.
Russia says it has yet to get documents after latest US, Europe talks on Ukraine
Tuesday 20 January 2026 09:30 , Bryony GoochRussian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that Moscow had not yet received any documents after recent talks between the United States and European countries on Ukraine. Lavrov made the comment at a news conference in Moscow.
Hundreds of thousands without electricity in Kyiv after huge airstrike overnight
Tuesday 20 January 2026 09:20 , Bryony GoochMore than 335,000 residents in Ukraine's capital Kyiv were left without electricity after Russian airstrikes overnight, private energy company DTEK said on Tuesday. DTEK added on the Telegram messaging app that power had been since restored for 162,000 households in Kyiv, while 173,000 remain without electricity.
Over 5,600 buildings in Kyiv without power, says mayor Klitschko
Tuesday 20 January 2026 09:00 , Arpan RaiAt least 5,635 multi-storey buildings in Kyiv are without heat and water supply after a major Russian missile and drone attack, mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Klitschko said energy companies were working to restore heat, water and electricity supply to these civilian households.
Russian forces carried out a major overnight attack on Kyiv with a combined drone and missile onslaught, officials reported in the early hours of today.
Explosions rocked the Ukrainian capital around 2am, followed by a warning from the Ukraine Air Force stating that Russian ballistic missiles were headed for the capital, reported Kyiv Independent.
The Air Force also issued an additional ballistic missile warning for Kyiv, Dnipropetrovsk and Vinnytsia oblasts shortly after. It added that Russian forces have launched MiG-31 bombers, which are carriers of Russian Kinzhal hypersonic missiles.
Around 5am local time, the Air Force said a second wave of Russian drones was later seen headed for the city, while missiles were reported to be approaching Kyiv around 6.30am local time.
Russia strike with 372 missiles and drones in 'significant' attack
Tuesday 20 January 2026 08:30 , Bryony GoochRussia struck Ukraine with 339 drones and 33 missiles in an overnight attack targeting Kyiv.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky said: “The day before this strike, we finally received the necessary missiles, which helped significantly. Every support package matters. Missiles for Patriots, NASAMS, and other air defense systems are critically needed.
“The direct task of our entire diplomatic system is to ensure that Ukraine has sufficient air defense capabilities. And partners must not fail to deliver on this – air defense missiles are real protection for human life.”
Ukraine foreign minister calls on urgent support for Ukraine after 'barbaric strike'
Tuesday 20 January 2026 08:15 , Bryony GoochUkraine's foreign minister called on Tuesday for urgent support for Ukraine, including air defence and sanctions pressure on Russia, saying Moscow's latest "barbaric strike" was a wake-up call to world leaders gathering in Davos.
"We need urgent additional energy assistance, air defence and interceptors, as well as sanctions pressure on Moscow," Andrii Sybiha said in a post on X, adding that thousands of houses were without heating in capital Kyiv in freezing temperatures.
