Ukraine War: News, Updates & Analysis – February 1, 2026

Power Outages in Ukraine and Moldova – Technical Issues Are the Cause

Update, 7:59 Uhr: Widespread power outages crippled parts of Ukraine and Moldova on Saturday, January 31. Authorities have ruled out a direct connection to hostilities, attributing the incident to technical problems.

In Kyiv, subway service was suspended and water supply interrupted, while traffic lights and public transportation were partially affected in Chisinau. Energy Minister Denys Schmyhal attributed the disruption to the simultaneous failure of two high-voltage lines, according to Reuters.

Moscow and Kyiv Continue Negotiations

Update, 1. Februar, 7:08 Uhr: Negotiators from Moscow and Kyiv are set to resume direct talks today in Abu Dhabi regarding an end to the Ukraine war. The negotiations in the capital of the United Arab Emirates are being mediated by the United States.

Both sides have reportedly reached agreement on several points, according to sources familiar with the discussions, but remain at odds over the key issue of a Ukrainian troop withdrawal from the Donetsk region, a demand firmly rejected by Kyiv. The Donetsk region is part of Ukraine but is partially occupied by Russian forces.

Ukraine War Updates: Over 3,500 Buildings in Kyiv Without Power

Update, 22:10 Uhr: A large-scale power outage has left numerous households in Kyiv without heating. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy informed the public in his evening video address that nearly 3,500 buildings in various parts of the city were affected.

Update, 18:18 Uhr: Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stated that direct negotiations with Vladimir Putin are essential for resolving territorial disputes in the Ukraine war. Speaking to Czech public radio, Český rozhlas, the Ukrainian president emphasized that no agreement on territorial issues is possible without direct contact with the Russian leader. Ukraine remains open to talks in any format involving Russia and the United States, Zelenskyy said. “At a minimum, we must be able to have contact with the head of the Russian state in one form or another,” the Ukrainian president stressed.

Power Outage in Ukraine Impacts Moldova

Update, 17:37 Uhr: A widespread power outage in Moldova was caused by the collapse of the Ukrainian power grid. The Moldovan Ministry of Energy reported that a significant drop in voltage on a power line between the two countries occurred around 11:00 a.m. local time, causing the capital, Chișinău, to temporarily lose power, resulting in the failure of trolleybuses and traffic lights. Ukrainian Energy Minister Denys Schmyhal stated that Ukraine is suffering from a “significant power shortage” due to Russian attacks on critical infrastructure as part of the Ukraine war, according to Reuters. A cyberattack was ruled out as the cause.

Talks Between Russia and the US: Putin’s Envoy in Florida

Update, 16:34 Uhr: Russian economic envoy Kirill Dmitriev is currently holding new talks with US representatives in Florida. The news agency AFP received confirmation from sources familiar with the negotiations. Dmitriev is a close associate of Vladimir Putin and involved in the negotiation rounds to end the Ukraine war. The talks in the US state began at 8:00 a.m. local time (2:00 p.m. CET). No information was provided about the content of the talks or the members of the negotiating delegations.

Update, 15:11 Uhr: The widespread power outage has also hit Kyiv hard. A resident told Kyiv Independent that she was on the subway when the power went out – people did not panic. “But, of course, everyone is in shock. There is almost no mobile network anymore.” The Ukrainian state grid operator Ukrenergo announced around 2:00 p.m. local time that emergency power cuts were in effect in Kyiv and the surrounding region, as well as in the regions of Cherkasy, Chernivtsi, Zhytomyr and Kharkiv.

Power Outage in Ukraine – Likely Technical Problems as Cause

Update, 14:11 Uhr: Ukraine is affected by a severe failure of the power grid in the war with Russia. Large parts of the country are currently without electricity, according to reports. The causes of the power outage are still unknown. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that he had been informed by Prime Minister Julia Swrydenko and Energy Minister Denys Schmyhal about the emergency situation in the Ukrainian power grid. According to reports, there are technical problems on the lines between Ukraine and Moldova.

Update, 12:18 Uhr: Russia has resumed attacks on other targets after a declared temporary ceasefire on energy facilities, according to the Defense Ministry. It said that objects of transport infrastructure and ammunition depots used by the Ukrainian armed forces had been attacked. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said this limited ceasefire only applied until this Sunday to create a good basis for negotiations. Trump himself had spoken of a one-week pause promised to him by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Situation on the Ukraine Front: Russia with New Strategy

Update, 11:10 Uhr: The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, General Oleksandr Syrsky, has provided an update on the current situation in the Ukraine war. “We analyzed the operational situation in detail and summarized the practical experience gained from operating under the complex and dynamic conditions of modern combat,” the soldier said, according to Kyiv Post. He added that they are responding to a changing tactic by Russia. Russian troops are currently building up reserves and increasingly focusing on offensive actions, Syrsky said. Priority measures have been taken to strengthen defensive capabilities as a result.

Update, 9:38 Uhr: In the night of January 31, Russia attacked with 85 drones in the Ukraine war, according to the Ukrainian Air Force. Ukrainian forces were able to destroy or disrupt 65 of them. The attack continued into the morning, as several Russian drones were still in Ukrainian airspace.

Meanwhile, it has become known that the EU is preparing a new package of sanctions to increase pressure on Russia’s economy. According to Bloomberg, new restrictions are planned for Russian banks, oil companies and financial institutions in third countries.

Ukraine War Updates: Russia’s Losses Continue to Rise

Update, 8:42 Uhr: Russia’s losses in the Ukraine war continue to rise. According to information from the Ukrainian General Staff on Facebook, the army of Vladimir Putin lost 880 soldiers in the past day. The fighters were either killed or wounded. Russia’s total losses since the start of the fighting on February 24, 2022, have thus risen to around 1,239,590. Putin’s troops have also lost 11,619 tanks, 23,977 armored fighting vehicles and 36,768 artillery systems.

Update, 7:30 Uhr: German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius ( SPD) has accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of “terror” against the Ukrainian civilian population. During peace talks in Abu Dhabi, Putin reportedly bombed Ukraine in a way that had not been seen before in the war. “This is no longer a military conflict. This is terror directed exclusively against the civilian population, in a winter with temperatures of minus 20 degrees,” Pistorius told the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland.

Current Situation in the Ukraine War: FSB Terror Cell Uncovered – Intelligence Services Prevent Attacks in Odessa

Update, 31. Januar, 6:10 Uhr: The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) has arrested three suspected Russian agents in Odessa. The men are alleged to have planned terrorist attacks against Ukrainian special forces and their families on behalf of the Russian intelligence service FSB. According to the SBU, the suspects intended to use remote-detonated explosives to attack the cars and homes of military personnel in order to spread panic among the civilian population. Explosives and mobile phones were seized during the arrest. The men face life imprisonment for high treason under martial law.

Update, 22:29 Uhr: Within one day, Russia has carried out seven attacks on the railway infrastructure, according to Ukrainian reports. Deputy Prime Minister Julia Swyrydenko states on X: “Russia is deliberately attacking Ukraine’s logistics routes.” These attacks are targeted terrorism that targets both people and civilian transport.

Update, 20:24 Uhr: The EU is considering replacing the price cap on Russian oil with a complete ban on maritime services in its 20th sanctions package against Russia. The Kyiv Independent reported this, citing an informed source. The measure would prohibit European companies from offering key services for the transport of Russian oil – including insurance, shipping and financing – regardless of the price. Oil and gas revenues account for about a third of Russia’s federal budget and are an important source of funding for Moscow’s Ukraine war. EU Foreign Affairs Chief Kaja Kallas announced that the 20th sanctions package would be adopted on February 24 – the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.

Zelenskyy: No Russian Attacks on Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure Since Thursday Evening

Update, 19:13 Uhr: According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Russia and Ukraine have halted attacks on energy infrastructure as part of an agreement initiated by the United States. “In all our regions, there have actually been no attacks on energy facilities since Thursday evening,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. In return, Ukraine also refrained from attacking Russian energy facilities. Russia is now focusing on logistical targets, including railway hubs, the Ukrainian president said.

Update, 18:38 Uhr: Ukraine has ordered the evacuation of families with children from seven settlements in the northeastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv on Friday. A decision was made to “forcibly evacuate families with children from seven villages in the Stary Saltiw community,” said Oleh Synegubov, head of the regional military administration, in online services. There are currently 25 children in the settlements, he added.

Power Generators for Kyiv Arrive from Poland

Update, 16:55 Uhr: Russian President Vladimir Putin has a poor image in Ukraine. According to a recent poll by the Gallup Institute, 99 percent of respondents rated the Kremlin chief negatively. US President Donald Trump is rejected by 72 percent, and Chinese President Xi Jinping even by 80 percent. The poll, conducted by Gallup between November 11 and 14, 2025, among 1,000 Ukrainian citizens, was part of a global study conducted in 58 countries. Putin receives rather poor approval ratings according to the Gallup figures. Around two-thirds of respondents reject Russia’s president.

Update, 16:16 Uhr: A first shipment of power generators from Poland has arrived in Kyiv. They are intended to help ensure the energy supply. The city’s infrastructure has been under attack by Russia for weeks. Heating and electricity are repeatedly cut off in many districts. “These emergency power sources will enable the city to strengthen the resilience of critical facilities, social institutions and residential buildings,” Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, according to Ukrainska Pravda.

Russia Apologizes After Attack on Odesa and Passenger Train in Ukraine

Update, 16:00 Uhr: Russian negotiators apologized to the Ukrainian delegation for attacks on Odesa and a passenger train, the New York Times reports. The attacks occurred despite an informal ceasefire agreed upon during talks in Abu Dhabi over the weekend. According to a source in the Ukrainian presidential office, Russian negotiators explained that not all branches of the Russian military had been informed of the ceasefire. On January 27, Russia shelled a passenger train on the Barvinkove-Lviv-Chop route in the Kharkiv region with drones – six people died.

Update, 22:29 Uhr: Within one day, Russia has carried out seven attacks on the railway infrastructure, according to Ukrainian reports. Deputy Prime Minister Julia Swyrydenko states on X: “Russia is deliberately attacking Ukraine’s logistics routes.” These attacks are targeted terrorism that targets both people and civilian transport.

Update, 20:24 Uhr: The EU is considering replacing the price cap on Russian oil with a complete ban on maritime services in its 20th sanctions package against Russia. The Kyiv Independent reported this, citing an informed source. The measure would prohibit European companies from offering key services for the transport of Russian oil – including insurance, shipping and financing – regardless of the price. Oil and gas revenues account for about a third of Russia’s federal budget and are an important source of funding for Moscow’s Ukraine war. EU Foreign Affairs Chief Kaja Kallas announced that the 20th sanctions package would be adopted on February 24 – the fourth anniversary of Russia’s invasion.