In a devastating escalation of violence, Russian military forces have launched coordinated attacks across multiple Ukrainian regions, resulting in at least 12 civilian fatalities and significant damage to critical infrastructure. The assault occurred overnight Tuesday, just days after diplomatic negotiations aimed at ending the prolonged conflict.
The northeastern Kharkiv region witnessed one of the most tragic incidents when a Russian drone struck a passenger train carrying nearly 200 people, killing at least five individuals. Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko confirmed the attack via social media, while President Volodymyr Zelensky condemned the strike as militarily unjustifiable, emphasizing that civilian targets have no place in warfare.
Simultaneously, the southern port city of Odesa endured a massive barrage of over 50 Russian drones, killing three people and injuring more than 30, including a woman in her 39th week of pregnancy and two young girls. Regional Governor Oleg Kiper reported extensive damage to residential buildings, educational facilities, and religious structures throughout the city.
The attacks extended to energy infrastructure, with Ukrainian energy conglomerate DTEK reporting ‘enormous’ damage to one of its facilities in the Odesa region. The assault has exacerbated the already critical energy situation, leaving millions without power during freezing winter conditions.
Additional casualties were reported across multiple regions: a married couple killed in Sloviansk (Donetsk region), their 20-year-old son surviving the attack; a 58-year-old man killed in Zaporizhzhia; and a 72-year-old woman killed in her home in Kherson.
Ukrainian air defense reported intercepting 165 attack drones overnight, though several strikes successfully hit targets, including an infrastructure facility in the western Lviv region. State gas company Naftogaz reported one of its facilities was set ablaze, marking the fifth such attack this month.
President Zelensky characterized these attacks as undermining ongoing diplomatic efforts, urging international partners to increase pressure on Moscow. The strikes come despite recent US-brokered talks in the United Arab Emirates, with another round scheduled for February 1st according to Ukrainian officials.