Ukraine experienced a relatively quiet night after former US President Donald Trump announced that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to pause attacks on Kyiv and several other towns during an intensifying cold spell.
The Kremlin later confirmed the decision, saying it had agreed to halt strikes on Kyiv until Sunday to “create favourable conditions” for peace talks. However, Trump did not specify when the pause would take effect.
Despite the announcement, air raid sirens were triggered in eight Ukrainian regions overnight into Friday.
Two people sustained minor injuries in the southern city of Zaporizhzhia, according to local authorities.
Kyiv is bracing for extremely cold weather, with temperatures expected to drop to as low as -24°C over the coming days.
Russia has a history of intensifying attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure during cold periods since the invasion began, raising fears of widespread heating and power disruptions.
Ukrainian officials had anticipated a major assault this weekend ahead of the cold snap. If such attacks do not materialise, analysts say it could represent a significant development in US-led efforts to push both sides toward ending the war.
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Friday that Putin ordered a halt to strikes on Kyiv “for a week until 1 February” following a personal request from Trump.
The date is just two days away. Peskov did not reference the cold weather and declined to say whether Russia would refrain from targeting energy infrastructure, instead framing the move as part of efforts to support US-mediated peace negotiations.
Although recent nights in the capital have been relatively calm, Kyiv has recorded 530 air raid alerts this week, according to monitoring groups. Ukraine’s air force reported that more than 100 drones and a ballistic missile were launched overnight at regions close to the front line.
As of Friday morning, however, there were no reports of new attacks on electricity or heating facilities, infrastructure considered critical to keeping civilians warm during the severe winter conditions.
