Ukraine-Russia war latest: Putin’s forces in major missile attack as Trump says Ukraine may be Russian someday – UK Times

Ukraine was plunged into a blackout after Vladimir Putin’s forces launched a massive overnight missile attack on Kyiv’s energy grid.

Ukraine’s state energy company, Ukrenergo, said it imposed emergency blackouts due to the Russian attack.

Short-range aerial drones were the most common killer of civilians in Ukraine in January, the U.N.’s monitoring mission said on Tuesday, highlighting how drone use has ballooned during three years of war with Russia.

The U.N. mission said at least 139 civilians were killed and 738 wounded in January 2025, with 27% of the deaths and 30% of the injuries caused by short-range drones.

In total, the U.N. says nearly 12,500 civilians have been killed in the war including 650 children – though it has repeatedly said its tally is an undercount since it only includes deaths its teams have managed to verify.

Aerial drones, which at the start of the war were mostly seen as an auxiliary tool, have become one of the most important battlefield weapons in the conflict, with both Ukraine and Russia producing well over a million each in 2024.

Donkeys are being used by Russian troops to move weaponry to the frontline in Ukraine amid a shortage of military vehicles, according to war bloggers.

The animals were being provided directly to troops by the Russian defence ministry, a number of unnamed soldiers said on Telegram.

Russia is estimated to have lost about 20,000 pieces of military equipment since the start of its all-out invasion of Ukraine almost three years ago, figures show.

Russian Telegram channel Mayorsky KortiZol published a video on 5 February in which a Russian soldier said he was given a donkey.

“They gave us a donkey. It’s parked in the support platoon. We have sh*t for transport, right? Here’s a donkey. Use it to transport ammunition to the front lines,” he said.

Ukraine’s energy minister has introduced emergency restrictions after Russia hit gas infrastructure overnight.

“Another attack on Ukraine’s energy system is under way,” German Galushchenko said in the early hours of the morning.

“At night, the enemy attacked the gas infrastructure. As of this morning, the energy sector is still under attack.”

Russia has consistently targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure in a bid to economically cripple Kyiv and bring down morale.

“Serious” members of Trump’s team will travel to Ukraine for the first time this week, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said late last night.

He also confirmed plans to meet Vice President JD Vance at the Munich conference, which begins on Friday.

Zelenskyy said his team were attempting to organise a meeting with Trump.

“This week, some people from the Trump team, serious ones, will be in Ukraine – even before the Munich conference,” he said.