'Barbaric' attack amid Ukraine peace talks

On 24 January 2026, Russian forces launched a barrage of missiles and drones against Kyiv and Kharkiv, Ukraine’s two largest cities, disrupting power to 1.2 million buildings. The attack killed one person and injured 31, while temperatures in Kyiv dropped to –13 °C. At the same time a second day of peace talks between the United States, Russia and Ukraine unfolded in Abu Dhabi. Delegations from Moscow and Kyiv described the meetings as “constructive,” and Washington says a new round could start within a week. US officials also say a bilateral meeting between President Zelenskyy and President Putin is “very close,” despite the recent assaults.