British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday condemned renewed Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as “barbaric” and “particularly depraved,” after air strikes plunged parts of the capital into darkness amid a deep winter freeze.
The strikes on Monday night targeted power plants, transmission lines and other critical infrastructure in Kyiv, Kharkiv and other cities, cutting heat and electricity as temperatures dipped toward –20°C (–4°F). Starmer’s remarks came after a call with U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been actively engaged in attempts to negotiate an end to the war.
“Attacks on civilian infrastructure, especially during severe winter weather, are unacceptable,” Starmer said in a statement after speaking with Trump, emphasizing the urgent humanitarian impact as millions of Ukrainians struggle without heat.
Russian forces resumed their bombardment after a week-long pause that Trump had reportedly secured from President Vladimir Putin. Trump acknowledged Russia observed the pause, saying: “It was on Sunday, and he [Putin] went from Sunday to Sunday. It’s really, really cold over there.” Officials described the one-week halt as a partial lull rather than a ceasefire.
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The recent strikes left more than 1,000 apartment blocks in Kyiv without heating or power, and a power plant in eastern Kharkiv was damaged beyond repair, Ukrainian authorities said. Many residents spent freezing nights in metro stations, some pitching tents on platforms to stay warm, as local officials opened warming centres and imported generators to help cope with prolonged outages.
Ukraine has repeatedly appealed to its Western allies for additional air-defence systems and missiles to defend key civilian infrastructure. Hours after the strikes, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv and urged alliance members to “dig deep in their stockpiles” and bolster Ukraine’s defences.
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Meanwhile, U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are in Abu Dhabi meeting Russian and Ukrainian negotiators on a proposed U.S. peace plan. The most contentious issue remains Russia’s demand that Ukraine cede territory in the eastern Donbas region — a condition Kyiv has firmly rejected.
Russia’s full-scale invasion, launched in February 2022, has devastated Ukraine’s infrastructure and claimed tens of thousands of lives. After the recent strikes, international leaders reiterated calls for sustained support for Ukraine and condemned attacks on civilian targets, especially during the harsh winter months.