We shouldn't expect a breakthrough from the first round of talks with Ukraine – Kremlin

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said it would be a mistake to expect any major breakthroughs from the first round of trilateral talks with Ukraine, describing the negotiations as complex and still at an early stage.

Speaking to Russian state propaganda outlets TASS, RIA Novosti, andthe Peskov said the talks in Abu Dhabi are currently taking place at an expert level, with working groups engaged in technical discussions. “This is a very complex matter. There are difficult issues on the agenda,” he said, adding that while expectations should remain modest, the fact that contacts have begun “in a constructive manner” could still be viewed positively. “There is still serious work ahead,” he stressed.

Peskov reiterated that Russia’s position has not changed, again referring to the so-called Anchorage formula, which he claimed had already been discussed with U.S. negotiators and President Donald Trump. He emphasized that territorial issues remain central for Moscow, saying that Russia’s occupation of parts of Ukraine is of “fundamental importance” and that Russian negotiators continue to defend these interests during the talks.

At the same time, Peskov acknowledged that negotiations on Ukraine are unlikely to be friendly in tone but said that if talks are under way, “efforts must be made to achieve something.” He added that trilateral contacts are expected to continue next week, though no specific date has been set. Peskov also said there are currently no plans for a phone call between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump, while noting that existing channels with the U.S. allow for high-level contact to be arranged “almost instantly” if needed.

Russia has shelled the Kherson heat and power plant with drones and artillery over the past day

Russian forces have deliberately shelled the Kherson combined heat and power plant with artillery and drones over the past 24 hours, targeting efforts to restore the facility, Naftogaz CEO Serhii Koretskyi said.

According to Koretskyi, the attacks were aimed at preventing repair crews from fixing damaged equipment at the plant, which had been the only source of centralized heating for tens of thousands of residents in the southern city. “The Kherson combined heat and power plant was the sole source of heat for tens of thousands of people,” he said, adding that Russia’s strikes were intended to keep it offline.

Koretskyi said Naftogaz, together with local authorities, is working to mitigate the impact by deploying alternative heating solutions. Later this week, the company plans to deliver an additional 950 gas heaters and cylinders to Kherson, alongside other measures to secure backup heat supplies. He emphasized that the heating situation in the city remains among the most critical in Ukraine amid ongoing Russian attacks on energy infrastructure.

Russia hit energy facilities in two Ukrainian regions

Consumers in Kharkiv and Donetsk oblasts were left without electricity after Russian strikes on energy infrastructure overnight on January 25–26, Ukraine’s First Deputy Energy Minister Artem Nekrasov said.

In an update on the state of the power system as of Monday, Jan. 26, Nekrasov reported that emergency repair work is ongoing. He noted that a significant electricity shortfall persists in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast, where the situation remains difficult and emergency outages are still in place. A return to scheduled hourly blackouts will be possible only after the power system stabilizes.

Hourly outage schedules are currently in effect for all categories of consumers across every Ukrainian oblast, alongside power limitation schedules for industrial facilities and businesses. Some consumers remain without electricity for extended periods in frontline and border areas, where constant fighting hampers restoration efforts.

Nekrasov also said that adverse weather conditions have caused additional power disruptions in parts of Kyiv and Ternopil oblasts. Repair crews are working to restore damaged power lines in those areas.

Russia is not giving up attempts to break through near Pokrovsk, bringing up reserves

Russian forces are continuing efforts to expand their offensive around Pokrovsk in Donetsk Oblast, deploying additional reserves and relying on infiltration tactics, Ukraine’s Commander-in-Chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said on January 26.

Syrskyi made the remarks in a Facebook post following a work trip to the area to meet senior commanders. His comments come as Russian advances along the front line have slowed markedly in January, amid weeks of deep subzero temperatures across Ukraine. Despite the harsh conditions, Russian troops have continued pushing north of Pokrovsk, achieving only limited, incremental gains, according to open-source mapping projects.

Over the past month, Ukrainian forces have carried out raids and localized assaults in the lower-density northern neighborhoods of Pokrovsk, leaving the city technically contested more than three months after Russian President Vladimir Putin declared it surrounded. Syrskyi said around 400 clashes were recorded in the Pokrovsk sector alone in the past week.

“Our key task is to inflict maximum losses on the enemy, destroy its reserves, and consistently reduce its offensive potential,” Syrskyi wrote, adding that Ukraine is placing particular emphasis on expanding and developing its drone units. Pokrovsk has remained one of the most intense sectors of the front throughout 2025, and while the city largely fell under Russian control in late autumn, Moscow is expected to intensify efforts to seize the remaining Ukraine-held parts of Donetsk Oblast in the coming spring and summer.