Russian officials call for severe attacks on Ukraine as temperatures drop

Russian State Duma deputies have urged the Kremlin to use “more powerful weapons” in attacks on Ukraine, State Duma Chairman Vyacheslav Volodin said on January 30, as freezing temperatures intensify the humanitarian impact of Russia’s strikes.

Volodin claimed that Russian forces are advancing on the battlefield and threatened President Volodymyr Zelensky, arguing that Ukraine must accept an agreement allegedly reached between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Donald Trump during talks in Alaska in August 2025. According to Reuters, the proposal envisions Ukraine withdrawing from the Donbas region and freezing the front line elsewhere — negotiations from which Kyiv was excluded.

In a post on Telegram, Volodin said lawmakers were calling for the use of unspecified “weapons of retaliation” starting next week. The threat comes days after Ukrainian, Russian, and U.S. officials held peace talks in Abu Dhabi on Jan. 23–24, with further negotiations tentatively planned for February 1, though Zelensky has said the schedule could change.

The remarks coincide with an intensified Russian campaign targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said the country faces a severe electricity shortage, struggling to maintain heating, water, and power supplies amid subzero temperatures. On Jan. 31, technical failures disrupted high-voltage power lines linking Ukraine and Moldova, triggering mass outages in Kyiv and several regions, further compounding the crisis.

Zelensky is uncertain whether the talks are nearing a resolution or moving away from it

President Volodymyr Zelensky has said it remains unclear whether negotiations to end Russia’s war against Ukraine are approaching a final stage or whether further intensive diplomatic efforts will be required to secure lasting security guarantees.

Speaking in an interview with Czech public broadcaster Český rozhlas, Zelensky said the outcome of the talks remains uncertain, describing the final phase as the most difficult. He stressed that Ukraine is relying primarily on security guarantees from the United States and Europe, noting that draft agreements have already been prepared but still require approval by national parliaments and the U.S. Congress.

Zelensky emphasized that firm security guarantees are essential not only for peace but also for Ukraine’s economic recovery, as international investors need confidence that the war will not resume. He added that Kyiv is working on a 20-point plan to end the war, while underscoring that decisions on territorial issues are particularly sensitive and must ultimately be made at the highest political level.

Russia hit the centre of Kherson, injuring civilians

Russian forces attacked the Tsentralnyi district of Kherson on the afternoon of January 31, injuring at least four civilians, the Kherson Oblast Military Administration reported.

According to preliminary information, a 37-year-old woman and a 64-year-old man sustained blast injuries and shrapnel wounds to their limbs. Later, a 49-year-old woman was diagnosed with a blast injury and a shrapnel wound to her leg. A 35-year-old man subsequently sought medical treatment for similar injuries.

All the wounded were taken to the hospital, where they are receiving medical care.

Three men accused of working for Russia and planting bomb attacks on the Ukrainian military in Odesa

Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) said on January 30 that it had detained three men accused of working for Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) and preparing terrorist attacks in Odesa.

According to the SBU, the suspects — a 36-year-old draft evader, a military deserter, and a member of a public order protection NGO — were allegedly recruited by Russian intelligence to target Ukrainian servicemen and SBU special forces operating on the southern front. The group planned to plant explosive devices in cars and apartments belonging to Ukrainian soldiers and their families in order to cause casualties and spread panic among civilians.

Investigators said the suspects spent weeks tracking the movements of Ukrainian troops and identifying vehicle parking locations. Acting on coordinates provided by the FSB, they retrieved two homemade explosive devices from a hidden cache and intended to detonate them remotely at the entrance to a residential building housing Ukrainian servicemen. SBU officers detained the suspects before the attack could be carried out, seizing the explosives and mobile phones used to coordinate with Russian handlers.

The men have been charged with treason committed under martial law and are being held in custody without the right to bail. If convicted, they face life imprisonment with confiscation of property.