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Zelensky Demands Faster U.S. Talks After Odesa Drone Strike Amid Record‑Size Russian Assault

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Massive Russian aerial offensive strikes seven regions Over 370 drones and 21 missiles bombarded Kyiv, Kharkiv, Sumy, Chernihiv and Odesa, while Ukraine’s air force logged 165 drones launched overnight, 24 of which breached defenses and hit targets in seven regions, including more than 50 drones over Odesa that damaged the power grid and five apartment blocks[2][1]. The attacks focused on energy facilities, leaving roughly 6,000 buildings without heating as temperatures plunged to –12 °C[2][3]. Russian forces also deployed the new Geran‑5 jet‑powered drone, capable of carrying a 90‑kg warhead over nearly 1,000 km, marking its first combat use[1].

Civilian casualties rise and critical services crumble The Odesa strike injured 23 people, including two children and a pregnant woman, while a separate Kyiv attack killed one civilian and wounded four, and Kharkiv’s maternity hospital and a displaced‑people dormitory saw 19 injuries, among them a child[1][3]. Damage to power and water networks cut supplies for hundreds of thousands, with 300,000 Kyiv homes losing electricity after a Jan. 9 raid and more than a million people deprived of water[4][2]. Energy workers, protected in steel capsules, continue round‑the‑clock repairs despite dozens of recent strikes on plants, substations and heat facilities[4].

Zelensky urges accelerated U.S. diplomacy while trilateral talks continue Using Telegram, President Volodymyr Zelensky demanded the United States speed up the Feb. 1 negotiations and impose additional sanctions on Russia[1]. The Abu Dhabi trilateral talks, involving Ukraine, Russia and the United States, proceeded on the same night as the strikes, with U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner and Josh Gruenbaum participating[2]. Ukrainian chief negotiator Rustem Umerov thanked the U.S. delegation and called for a dignified, lasting peace, while Zelensky reiterated refusal to cede the Donbas region[3].

Ukraine expands interceptor drones as Russia upgrades its arsenal In response to the Geran‑5 and intensified drone attacks, Kyiv has markedly increased production of interceptor drones and is developing long‑range unmanned systems[1]. Analysts note that Russia’s strategy includes offering cash bonuses and prisoner releases to sustain its war effort, while Ukraine’s heightened drone output aims to blunt future aerial offensives[1]. The contrasting buildup underscores a widening technological gap that both sides seek to exploit in the coming weeks[1].

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Timeline

Dec 6, 2025 – Russia launches 653 drones and 51 missiles across Ukraine on Armed Forces Day, striking energy infrastructure and causing a temporary loss of off‑site power at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant; Ukrainian air defenses shoot down 585 drones and 30 missiles while at least eight people are wounded[30].

Dec 13, 2025 – More than 1 million households lose electricity after Russia fires over 450 drones and 30 missiles, heavily damaging substations in Odesa, Mykolaiv and Kherson; U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff is slated to meet Zelensky in Berlin to discuss a U.S.-backed peace plan[25].

Dec 23, 2025 – Russia conducts its ninth large‑scale strike of the year, deploying 635 drones and 38 missiles that kill three civilians (including a 4‑year‑old) and cut power in 13 regions, while also firing an Oreshnik hypersonic missile near the Poland border as a warning to NATO allies[24][11].

Dec 23, 2025 – Ukrainian drones ignite a fire at an industrial site in Russia’s Stavropol region, damaging the Lukoil‑run Stavrolen complex but causing no injuries[29].

Dec 25, 2025 – Widespread Christmas‑Eve attacks target civilian energy sites across Ukraine, killing one person in Odesa Oblast and raising fears of mass blackouts as peace talks continue with little progress[23].

Dec 27, 2025 – Kyiv endures a massive Russian missile and drone barrage two days before President Zelensky’s planned meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, suggesting the strike aims to pressure a pending peace accord[28].

Dec 29, 2025 – President Zelensky publicly denies reports that President Putin ordered a drone strike, emphasizing that Kyiv does not take actions that would undermine ongoing negotiations[22].

Dec 30, 2025 – Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses deep concern over reports of a drone attack on Putin’s residence and urges diplomatic de‑escalation; U.S. President Trump says he is “very angry” about the alleged strike, while Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov claims Ukraine launched 91 drones at the residence[20][21][27].

Dec 31, 2025 – A Ukrainian drone strike on New Year’s Eve in Russian‑occupied Kherson kills at least 24 civilians (including a child) at a hotel and cafe in Khorly, which Russian‑installed authorities label a war crime[18][17].

Dec 31, 2025 – EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas rejects Moscow’s claim of a Ukrainian drone attack on Putin’s residence as a “deliberate distraction” from peace talks[5].

Jan 1, 2026 – In his New Year address, President Zelensky says the peace deal is “90 % ready” and that the remaining 10 % will determine Europe’s future, while the United States offers a 15‑year security guarantee pending approval by both the U.S. Congress and the Ukrainian parliament[4].

Jan 1, 2026 – Russia hands alleged drone navigation‑memory data to the U.S. military attaché, claiming it proves Ukraine targeted Putin’s residence; the United States disputes the evidence[16].

Jan 1, 2026 – CIA analysts conclude Ukraine did not target Putin’s residence, briefing President Trump and undercutting the Kremlin’s narrative[19].

Jan 2, 2026 – Russia alleges a 91‑drone attack on Putin’s Novgorod‑region residence; Zelensky dismisses the claim as fabricated and warns it is intended to derail diplomatic efforts[15].

Jan 3, 2026 – A missile strike on a Kharkiv apartment block kills two civilians, including a three‑year‑old child, injures 28 people and prompts President Zelensky to condemn the attack as “heinous” ahead of a U.S.-brokered peace conference in Kyiv with about 15 countries expected to attend[3].

Jan 9, 2026 – Russia fires the Oreshnik hypersonic missile at Kyiv and again near Lviv, marking the second use of the weapon since November 2024; Moscow frames the strikes as retaliation for a supposed Ukrainian drone attack on Putin’s residence and as a warning to NATO, while the U.S. embassy in Kyiv warns of a potentially significant air attack in the coming days[2][11][12][13][14].

Jan 9, 2026 – The Russian defence ministry says the Oreshnik can carry nuclear or conventional warheads and has been deployed to Belarus, underscoring its strategic signaling amid stalled peace talks[13].

Jan 11, 2026 – A Ukrainian drone attack on Russia’s Voronezh region kills one woman, wounds three and damages a high school; the same day Russia uses the new Geran‑5 jet‑powered drone—a Shahed variant with a 90‑kg warhead and ~1,000 km range—for the first time[10].

Jan 13, 2026 – At a U.N. Security Council emergency session, U.S. Deputy Ambassador Tammy Bruce labels Russia’s launch of an Oreshnik missile near Poland a “dangerous escalation” and warns of mounting civilian casualties[9].

Jan 18, 2026 – Ukrainian drones strike energy networks in Russian‑occupied southern Ukraine, cutting power to over 200,000 households in Zaporizhzhia; under an IAEA‑brokered ceasefire Ukrainian crews begin repairs to a backup line for the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, and a Ukrainian delegation arrives in the United States to finalize post‑war security guarantees, with a possible signing at Davos the following week[8].

Jan 24, 2026 – Overnight Russian strikes hit Kyiv and Kharkiv, killing one civilian in Kyiv, injuring 35 across both cities and disabling heating for about 6,000 buildings as temperatures fall to –12 °C; Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha calls the assault “cynical” and “barbaric,” saying it targets the peace‑negotiation table[1].

Jan 24, 2026 – Russia launches its largest overnight aerial strike of the year, deploying over 370 drones and 21 missiles that damage energy facilities, a maternity hospital and a shelter in Kharkiv, and leave nearly 6,000 apartments without heat; the attack occurs hours after the second day of closed‑door trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi between Ukraine, Russia and the United States[7].

Jan 24, 2026 – During the Abu Dhabi talks, U.S. President Donald Trump announces that Vladimir Putin has accepted an invitation to join the “Board of Peace,” a claim not confirmed by the Kremlin, while Ukrainian delegate Rustem Umerov says progress is made but the core issue of Ukrainian territory remains unresolved[1].

Jan 27, 2026 – More than 50 Russian drones, including the newly deployed Geran‑5, bomb Odesa, injuring 23 people (two children and a pregnant woman), damaging the power grid and five apartment blocks; President Zelensky uses Telegram to demand that the United States accelerate the February 1 diplomatic push and impose additional sanctions on Russia[6].

Feb 1, 2026 (planned) – The United States is set to hold a diplomatic round‑table on Ukraine, a key milestone in the U.S.-led peace push referenced by Zelensky on Jan 27[6].

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