Ukraine Hit by Major Combined Assault
In the early hours of January 24, 2026, Ukraine was subjected to a massive combined attack using drones and missiles, severely impacting residential infrastructure in Kharkiv and energy facilities in the Kyiv region. This assault resulted in dozens of injuries, including a child, and one fatality. The strikes left nearly 6,000 residential buildings in Kyiv without heating.
Attack Details
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the overnight attack involved more than 370 attack drones and 21 missiles of various types. The primary regions targeted were:
- Kyiv and the surrounding region
- Sumy region
- Kharkiv region
- Chernihiv region
In Kharkiv, the strikes damaged a maternity hospital, a dormitory for displaced persons, a medical college, and residential buildings.
Zelenskyy stated that the primary target of the Russian attacks in the capital and region remained the energy sector. This follows previous strikes on energy infrastructure on January 9 and 20, indicating a systematic campaign against the country's critical systems. The President also emphasized:
'Any delay in supplying missiles for Patriot and NASAMS air defense systems can cost lives.' President Volodymyr Zelenskyy
The consequences of this large-scale attack extended beyond the energy sector, severely affecting residential areas and creating significant hardship for a population left without heat in winter. These attacks on civilian infrastructure are part of a broader strategy that has characterized the conflict.
This latest barrage demonstrates the continuation of systematic strikes on Ukraine's critical infrastructure, raising serious concerns for civilian safety and the stability of energy systems during freezing winter conditions. President Zelenskyy's calls for bolstering air defense underscore the urgent need for sustained international assistance to counter such threats, which have devastating humanitarian consequences.