Russia Resumes Massive Drone-Missile Assault on Ukraine’s Energy Grid

Russia resumed its overnight, combined drone-and-missile campaign against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, sending roughly 450 drones and 71 missiles that damaged power facilities and caused outages across Kyiv, Kharkiv, Vinnytsia, Dnipropetrovsk, and Odesa oblasts while Ukraine downed most weapons; Moscow’s large strike packages suggest stockpiling and a strategy to pressure peace talks, with Western air defenses (notably Patriot systems) crucial to counter the threat. The assault precedes the Abu Dhabi talks and the February 5 expiration of New START, and Moscow continues to reject Western security guarantees while pressing NATO-related demands. An expanding use of mothership and FPV drones further extends Russian reach into Ukraine’s rear.)