In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, Russia launched an unprecedented barrage of nearly 300 attack drones and 25 missiles at Ukrainian territory over the past 24 hours, targeting critical infrastructure and leaving civilian areas battered across multiple regions. The strikes, which took place on January 12 and 13, 2026, mark one of the most intense 24-hour periods of the war to date, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and official military sources cited by Report and Ukrinform.
President Zelenskyy took to his Telegram page to outline the scale and intent of the attacks. He stated that the main targets were energy infrastructure—facilities that keep Ukraine’s lights on and homes heated during the harsh winter months. Yet, as often happens in war, the damage was not confined to strategic assets. "Unfortunately, much of the damage affected residential and civilian infrastructure. The Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk regions were hit," Zelenskyy wrote, as reported by Report.
The Ukrainian Air Force provided further technical details, noting that Russian forces employed 293 Shahed and Gerbera attack drones, as well as Iskander-M ballistic missiles and S-300 surface-to-air missiles. The barrage included 18 ballistic missiles and 7 cruise missiles, in addition to the drone swarms. This complex mix of weaponry underscores Russia’s continued reliance on both imported and domestically produced drone technology, as well as its arsenal of precision-guided munitions.
The humanitarian impact of these strikes is already being felt. In cities like Kyiv and Odesa, residents awoke to the sounds of air raid sirens and explosions, with emergency crews scrambling to restore power and clear debris. The targeting of energy infrastructure during the coldest part of the year is a tactic that has become grimly familiar, one aimed at eroding civilian morale and stretching Ukraine’s emergency response capacities to their limits.
But the toll of this conflict is not one-sided. According to the General Staff of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, Russia suffered significant losses in the same 24-hour window. The Ukrainian military reported that 950 Russian soldiers were killed over the past day alone. These figures, published in a Facebook post and cited by Ukrinform, reflect the ongoing intensity and high cost of the fighting on both sides.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukrainian forces have claimed the destruction of 11,544 Russian tanks (an increase of 3 in the last reporting period), 23,899 armored fighting vehicles (+7), and 36,024 artillery systems (+51). The tally also includes 1,600 multiple rocket launchers (+2), 1,270 anti-aircraft warfare systems, and 4,155 cruise missiles. In the air, Russia has lost 434 warplanes and 347 helicopters, while Ukraine’s air defenses and counter-drone efforts have reportedly downed a staggering 105,354 tactical unmanned aerial systems (+933).
The maritime front, though less visible, has not been spared. The Russian navy has lost 28 warships or cutters and 2 submarines since the war began. On land, the losses include 73,887 vehicles and fuel trucks (+145) and 4,042 pieces of special equipment, according to the Ukrainian military. These figures are continuously updated as new information emerges from the front lines.
All told, the past two days have seen a deadly exchange of firepower and attrition, with both sides sustaining heavy losses. Yet, the strategic calculus appears clear: Russia is attempting to cripple Ukraine’s energy grid and sap its will to fight, while Ukraine is leveraging Western-supplied air defense systems and its own ingenuity to blunt these attacks and inflict maximum losses on Russian forces.
The focus on energy infrastructure is not new, but the scale and frequency of these attacks have increased as the war drags into another winter. The destruction of power plants, substations, and transmission lines has left millions of Ukrainians facing rolling blackouts and heating shortages, raising concerns about a looming humanitarian crisis. Local officials in affected regions have urged residents to conserve electricity and prepare for further disruptions.
In Dnipropetrovsk, Zhytomyr, Zaporizhzhia, Kyiv, Odesa, Sumy, Kharkiv, and Donetsk, the aftermath of the strikes is visible on nearly every street: shattered windows, scorched buildings, and lines of people waiting for aid. Hospitals and emergency shelters have become lifelines for the most vulnerable, especially children and the elderly. International organizations are sounding the alarm, warning that continued attacks on civilian infrastructure could violate international humanitarian law and exacerbate the suffering of ordinary people.
The Ukrainian government, meanwhile, is calling for renewed international support. Air defense remains a top priority, as the country seeks more advanced systems to counter the evolving threat from drones and missiles. Western allies have responded with shipments of Patriot and NASAMS batteries, but gaps remain—especially as Russia adapts its tactics and deploys new types of drones, some reportedly sourced from Iran and other foreign suppliers.
For Russia, the use of Shahed and Gerbera drones represents a cost-effective way to saturate Ukrainian defenses and probe for weak points. The Iskander-M ballistic missiles and S-300 surface-to-air missiles, originally designed for different roles, have been repurposed to strike ground targets, adding to the unpredictability of each new wave of attacks.
Yet, as the casualty figures mount and the destruction spreads, questions persist about the ultimate endgame. Can Ukraine withstand another winter of bombardment? Will Western support hold steady as the conflict grinds on? And what, if anything, might persuade Russia to change course?
For now, the grim arithmetic of war continues. Both sides are locked in a cycle of attack and retaliation, with neither able to claim a decisive advantage. As the world watches, the suffering of ordinary Ukrainians—caught in the crossfire of geopolitics and military strategy—remains the most urgent and heartbreaking reality of all.
With new losses tallied daily and infrastructure under relentless assault, Ukraine’s resilience is being tested as never before. The coming weeks will reveal whether that resilience, bolstered by international aid and the determination of its people, can withstand another season of war.