Russia launched "more than 500 missiles and drones" overnight, striking homes and energy facilities across Ukraine as temperatures fell to -20C. It comes after an apparent agreement to cease energy attacks temporarily, and ahead of trilateral talks tomorrow. Follow the latest.
Tuesday 3 February 2026 11:42, UK
As efforts to bring peace to Ukraine reach a crucial stage with talks in Abu Dhabi due to start tomorrow, defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke returns to answer your questions on the war.
Send him yours in the box at the top of the page before the live Q&A at 1pm tomorrow.
Away from the conflict, Moscow has said it plans to watch and see how the situation evolves after the US announced India had agreed to stop buying Russian oil as part of a trade accord with Washington.
US President Donald Trump announced the trade deal with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying Modi had agreed to halt Russian oil purchases and lower trade barriers in return for slashed US tariffs on Indian exports.
He did not confirm when the purchases would end.
Trump said the deal also involved larger Indian purchases of American energy, coal, technology and farm products, and is the first phase of a broader pact to be negotiated later.
On India's pledge to stop buying Russian oil, Trump said on Truth Social: "This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week!"
The Kremlin has responded saying it has received no such statements from India, but values the relationship between the two countries. Meanwhile, Russian deputy prime minister Alexander Novak told reporters Moscow would "see how the situation develops".
Two refining sources have told the Reuters news agency that Indian refiners have not been told by the government to stop buying Russian oil and would need a wind-down period to complete existing orders.
New Delhi sparked backlash from the West after becoming the top buyer of discounted Russian crude oil after its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
A third source said India will gradually cut Russian imports, but suggested a complete ban would impact operations at India's Nayara Energy refinery, half owned by Russian energy company Rosneft.
Russia's latest aerial attack on Ukraine's energy grid was the biggest since the start of the year, according to private energy company DTEK.
The company said on Telegram that power generation and distribution facilities came under attack.
Some of its thermal power plants were "severely damaged", it said, while part of Kyiv's left bank were forced into energy shutdowns as a result of the strikes.
"The energy system operates with serious restrictions. Energy workers are doing everything possible to stabilise the power supply to the affected areas," DTEK said.
As we've been reporting, officials for Ukraine, Russia and the US will convene tomorrow for talks focused on securing a peace deal to end the war.
It is the second round of the landmark trilateral talks, which first took place in late January.
Though there were hints of progress from the talks, there was no movement on the key question of territory - Russia wants Ukraine to cede more land in the east, which Kyiv says it will not accept.
Moscow and Kyiv blame each other for the failure to agree a peace deal so far.
Who will attend the talks?
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed in a press call that the Russian delegation will be the same as in January, and will be headed by Admiral Igor Kostyukov - head of Russian intelligence.
On the US side, two officials have told our US partner network NBC News that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner will travel to Abu Dhabi for the talks.
Witkoff said on Saturday that an American delegation had held "productive and constructive" discussions with Russian envoys in Florida, a day before the next round of trilateral talks were originally scheduled to take place.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy said yesterday that he met with the Ukrainian negotiating team ahead of the new round of talks to approve "frameworks" and "set specific tasks".
He said nearly all members attended, with the team including national security secretary Rustem Umerov, Kyrylo Budanov, head of the president's office, and Andrii Hnatov, chief of the general staff.
We're hearing a little from NATO chief Mark Rutte now, who is visiting Kyiv and has been addressing Ukraine's parliament this morning.
The secretary-general of the alliance warned that reaching a peace deal to end the conflict will require tough choices.
It comes on the eve of a second round of trilateral peace talks between US, Ukrainian and Russian delegations in Abu Dhabi.
The first round of talks last month were said to be constructive, but key issues still remain, including the question of who keeps Ukrainian land currently occupied by Russian forces.
The talks were due to be held at the weekend, but Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Sunday that they would be delayed. He said his country was ready for a "substantive discussion".
As the head of NATO visits Kyiv, Russia's defence ministry has confirmed its forces carried out a massive strike on Ukrainian military-industrial and energy facilities overnight, according to the Interfax news agency.
An attack on the capital's infrastructure left 1,170 high-rise buildings in the city without heat, mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Ukraine's foreign affairs ministry said Moscow was "using the coldest days of winter to terrorise civilians", adding that it showed Kyiv need "timely deliveries of air missiles" from its partners.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has arrived in Kyiv for a previously unannounced visit, which will reportedly include talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
There has been no official NATO announcement regarding the visit, but Zelenskyy posted a video to X of the pair visiting a memorial in the city.
Rutte is currently addressing the Ukrainian parliament, its live stream shows.
He is reportedly due to hold talks with Zelenskyy later today.
The NATO chief's visit comes hours after the latest Russian attack on the Ukrainian capital which injured at least five people and saw a fire erupt in a residential tower block.
Over 100 more generators have been issued across Ukraine in response to "incessant" attacks on its energy grid as it endures its most bitter winter of the war.
Temperatures in parts of the country have fallen further than -20C and constant Russian strikes have placed a major strain on services, with many people forced to shelter in emergency tents during power blackouts.
Children's charity UNICEF says it delivered 106 mid and large capacity generators across Ukraine to support water utilities and heating companies.
A further 149 generators will be released in the coming weeks, it said.
Munir Mammadzade, UNICEF representative to Ukraine, said children and families in Ukraine "are in constant survival mode right now".
"Parents are struggling to keep their children warm, prepare hot food, and access regular running water," he said.
Russia launched more than 70 missiles and 450 attack drones at various areas of Ukraine, including the capital city, in its latest round of strikes, Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said.
Nine people are known to have been injured so far, he said. Emergency services said at least five people were injured in Kyiv - two of whom went to hospital.
According to the Ukrainian defence ministry, the strikes across Ukraine were "all directed toward civilian targets".
It said homes, energy facilities and a kindergarten were damaged, while there were fires in Kyiv, with flames billowing from the upper floor of a building.
Watch to see the aftermath...
Ukrainians are reeling from a massive Russian missile and drone attack overnight.
Pictures show police officers working in the snow near a damaged apartment building, as someone sweeps debris from the front door.
Residents can be seen taking shelter in an underground train station.
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