Russian drone strikes overnight caused significant damage to a thermal power plant in Mykolaiv, southern Ukraine. This left 46,000 people without heating in freezing temperatures, according to Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal. He stated on Sunday, "This was done deliberately to leave people without heat in sub-zero temperatures and create a humanitarian catastrophe."
Ukraine reported that Russia launched 143 drones in the attack, with 95 being shot down by the Ukrainian military and 46 failing to hit their intended targets, likely due to the use of electromagnetic countermeasures. The assault resulted in injuries to at least one person and damage to homes in the Kyiv region. The weather forecast for Mykolaiv predicts temperatures dropping to minus 7 degrees Celsius (19.4 Fahrenheit) on Sunday night.
President Volodymyr Zelenskiy urged Western allies to provide Ukraine with more air defenses, as Russia now controls 20% of Ukrainian territory and continues its advance in the east approaching the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion.
Zelenskiy highlighted Russia's recent aggressive actions, including the release of 1,220 aerial bombs, over 850 drones, and more than 40 missiles into government-controlled areas of Ukraine over the past week. He emphasized the need for a strong, unified foreign policy and pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war and establish lasting peace.
While both sides deny targeting civilians, Zelenskiy stressed the importance of global cooperation to combat such acts of aggression and achieve a just resolution. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump's sudden peace talk initiative with Putin, excluding European allies from the discussions without prior consultation, has raised concerns in Kyiv and among European capitals about their involvement in ensuring security for Ukraine.