Kremlin confirmed that Trump personally asked Putin to halt attacks on Kyiv until 1 February

After some uncertainty about the possible energy ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov has confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump personally asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to refrain from attacking Kyiv until Feb. 1, Russian state news agency TASS reported.

“Indeed, President Trump made a personal request to President Putin to refrain from striking Kyiv for a week, until February 1, in order to create favorable conditions for negotiations,” Peskov said.

The Kremlin did not clarify when exactly the request was made or whether it covered other Ukrainian cities beyond the capital.

Earlier, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said there were no direct agreements between Kyiv and Moscow regarding a halt to Russian strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, although negotiations on the matter are ongoing, including during talks in Abu Dhabi. He also stressed that Ukraine would respond proportionally to continued Russian attacks.

But there is confusion about the scope and timing of the alleged agreement. Despite the claim, Russian forces launched 111 drones and one ballistic missile overnight on January 30, the first night after Trump made the statement public.

While no major energy facilities were reportedly hit, the strikes continued Russia’s ongoing aerial campaign against Ukrainian territory. The previous large-scale attack on Kyiv took place on January 24, leaving widespread power outages amid freezing winter temperatures. Days later, Russia carried out a deadly drone assault on Odesa, striking residential areas and energy infrastructure.

The February 1 deadline for Russian strikes might seem to be strange because there are no great expectations from the scheduled round of negotiations in Abu Dhabi. The US delegation is not going to be present at the talks, so the breakthrough is not expected. According to the weather forecast, the following days after February 1 will maintain freezing temperatures across the whole country. So Russia could agree to halt attacks just to take a break and to stock up on more drones and missiles for further attacks, and please the US President Donald Trump before the scheduled negotiations.

Russian court sentenced 9 Ukrainians to 14-20 years for supposedly preparing terrorist attacks

A Russian military court in Rostov-on-Don has sentenced nine Ukrainian citizens to prison terms ranging from 14 to 20 years, accusing them of preparing terrorist attacks against officials collaborating with Russia in occupied Kherson Oblast, Russian outlet Mediazona and the Southern District Military Court reported.

According to the court, the defendants were allegedly part of a “terrorist group led by officers of Ukraine’s Security Service” and were planning to carry out bombings using improvised explosive devices. Russian prosecutors claimed the group intended to assassinate senior figures in the Russian-installed administration in Kherson, including deputy occupation leader Kyrylo Stremousov and former customs chief Vitalii Buliuk.

The harshest sentences — 20 years in a penal colony — were handed to businessman Kostiantyn Reznik and his associate Serhii Kabakov. Former Ukrainian serviceman Denys Lialka and businessman and Red Cross volunteer Yurii Kaiev received the shortest terms of 14 years. Other defendants were sentenced to between 17 and 18 years, including former local officials, servicemen, and civilians. The trial began in late 2023, and all nine were reportedly detained in Simferopol on October 6, 2022.

The defendants deny the charges, saying they were abducted and tortured by Russian security forces in occupied Kherson to extract forced confessions. In court, they retracted their earlier statements, alleging threats against their families and coercion to participate in staged investigative actions. They also reported abuse while held in pre-trial detention in Rostov, including beatings and being forced to sing the Russian national anthem and wartime songs.

Zelensky rejected Putin's Moscow invitation, and it signals a possible delay in peace talks

Today, President Volodymyr Zelensky rejected the Kremlin’s proposal to hold peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, instead signaling readiness for a meeting in a more neutral and appropriate format. Speaking at a briefing, Zelensky said he would rather invite Putin to Kyiv. “Let him come. I’m openly inviting him, if he dares,” he said, accusing the Russian leader of avoiding direct negotiations. The remarks followed comments by Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov, who said Moscow was prepared to guarantee Zelensky’s security should he travel to Russia.

Zelensky reiterated that Ukraine remains open to leader-level talks to resolve two key issues in the U.S.-led peace process: territorial questions and the future of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. However, he ruled out negotiations in Russia or Belarus, calling Moscow the aggressor and Minsk its accomplice. The two leaders have not met since 2019, and previous proposals for talks in Turkey were rejected by the Kremlin, which instead invited Zelensky to Moscow — an offer Kyiv declined.

Russia shifted strikes from energy facilities to logistics

President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Russian forces did not strike Ukraine’s energy infrastructure overnight on January 29–30, though energy facilities in several oblasts were targeted earlier in the day. Speaking after a nationwide conference call on the security situation and restoration efforts, Zelenskyy said Russia appears to be shifting its tactics toward attacks on logistics.

“We are now observing a shift by the Russian army toward strikes on logistics,” Zelensky wrote on X, adding that drone attacks on residential areas in Ukrainian cities are continuing. He said the change in targeting does not signal de-escalation, as civilian infrastructure remains under sustained threat.

Zelensky also reported that Russia used a ballistic missile against Kharkiv Oblast, damaging warehouses belonging to a civilian production facility owned by an American company. The president stressed that Russian strikes continue to endanger civilians and critical supply chains across the country.