UK Prime Minister Starmer Condemns Russian Strikes on Ukraine’s Energy Infrastructure as ‘Particularly Depraved’

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has described Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Monday night—when temperatures fell to -20°C (-4°F)—as “barbaric” and “particularly depraved.”

He made the remarks after speaking with US President Donald Trump, following strikes on power plants and critical facilities in Kyiv and other regions.

The attacks came after a week-long pause requested by Trump, during which a severe cold gripped Ukraine. Trump noted that Putin “kept his word” during the pause and expressed hope for an end to the conflict. US envoys are meeting Ukrainian and Russian negotiators in Abu Dhabi to discuss the details of a proposed peace plan.

Following the renewed strikes, more than 1,000 residential buildings in Kyiv were left without heating, and a power plant in Kharkiv was reportedly damaged beyond repair. Residents have been forced to shelter in metro stations, some pitching tents on platforms to stay warm. Authorities are setting up warming centers and importing generators to manage extended blackouts while repair efforts continue.

Ukraine’s Energy Minister, Denys Shmyhal, said the country’s energy system remains in a “difficult” state, with Kyiv’s Darnytsia Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant “severely damaged.” Ukraine has repeatedly called on allies for additional missile supplies to defend against attacks.

The Ukrainian Air Force reported being targeted by over 100 drones early Wednesday, with strikes affecting 14 locations. Some debris from the attacks caused casualties, including a 68-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man in Dnipropetrovsk, and multiple deaths and injuries in Zaporizhzhia. In Luhansk, a drone attack on a minibus killed a man and a woman, while residential buildings in Odesa were damaged with at least one injury.

In Russia, the western Bryansk region governor reported damage to a residential building from a Ukrainian attack, and in Belgorod, authorities are working to restore power and water after earlier strikes.

Meanwhile, US envoys, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, are meeting Russian and Ukrainian teams in Abu Dhabi to negotiate a peace deal. Key discussions focus on Russian demands for Ukraine to cede remaining territory in the eastern Donbas region, where Russia has made slow progress.

The conflict stems from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which has continued despite international efforts to broker a ceasefire.