Russia attacked energy infrastructure in several parts of Ukraine overnight

Russian forces launched a large-scale drone attack against Ukraine overnight, deploying 145 Shahed, Gerbera, and other types of UAVs since the evening of 18 January, Ukraine’s Air Force reported.

According to the Air Force, Ukrainian air defence units intercepted the vast majority of the drones. “As of 08:30, Ukrainian air defence forces had destroyed or jammed 126 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones,” the statement said.

However, some drones managed to reach their targets. The Air Force reported that 13 UAVs struck 12 locations, while debris from downed drones fell at five additional sites. The attack was still ongoing at the time of reporting.

 Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv oblasts bordering Russia to the north, as well as Odesa Oblast in the south, and central-eastern Dnipropetrovsk Oblast suffered the most from the attack.

In Chernihiv, Russian forces damaged five critical energy facilities in Chernihiv Oblast overnight. Tens of thousands of consumers reportedly remain without electricity.

In Kharkiv, a critical infrastructure facility was damaged by missiles.

According to Kharkiv Oblast Military Administration Head Oleh Syniehubov, a series of explosions was heard in the city, with details still being clarified at the time. Preliminary information indicated that the strike hit the Slobidskyi district.

The situation in Kyiv and the surrounding region also remains challenging, with freezing temperatures adding strain to the power system, Nekrasov said. He said 60 teams are working to restore power in Kyiv, including 12 deployed from other regions, as the city moves back to scheduled blackout timetables.

New Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal said on Jan. 19 that he met with the board of the state-owned grid operator Ukrenergo to discuss next steps to ease the energy situation, including increasing technical capabilities to import electricity into Ukraine.

Russia attacked Kharkiv three times with glide bombs, killing one and injuring five

Russian forces carried out three strikes using glide bombs on Kharkiv on Monday afternoon, hitting a residential area and causing civilian casualties, city and regional officials reported.

Kharkiv Mayor said the attacks struck a neighbourhood with civilian housing, leaving people killed and injured and causing significant destruction to homes.

One person was killed, and at least five others were injured as a result of the strikes. At least one residential house was completely destroyed.

Russian forces have repeatedly targeted Kharkiv with glide bombs in recent months, striking residential districts and critical infrastructure as part of ongoing attacks on the city.

The issue of Ukraine took a back seat in Davos

According to the Financial Times report, Donald's ambitions to annex Greenland and his threats to start a trade war unexpectedly pushed the question of aid to Ukraine out of Trump's focus at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Instead of agreeing on security guarantees for Kyiv, European leaders are forced to urgently review the negotiation strategy in order to protect their own economies from sanctions by the US president.

According to the information publication, at the beginning of the week, EU leaders planned to convince Trump to support the post-war security of Ukraine. The protest is currently in a deep crisis of confidence in Brussels. The reason for the attitude is open blackmail: Donald has promised to impose an additional 10 percent tariff on goods from EU and NATO countries that resist Trump's desire to annex Greenland.

Because of these European delegations, which are preparing for meetings with representatives of Trump's team, were forced to radically change the content of their working keys. Informational materials about Ukrainian needs are put aside, replacing them with "carrot and stick" plans - possible scenarios for responding to tariff pressure and options for conflict de-escalation.

FT sources note that this turn of events calls into question the very possibility of a constructive dialogue with Trump. Now the main task of Brussels in Davos is not to strengthen the eastern flank of Europe, but to find ways to counter economic punishment from the US. As a result, key negotiations on the future of Ukraine were effectively on hold, after which European politicians focused on protecting their own national interests against the threat of Trump's annexation plans.