Russia has intensified its winter campaign against Ukraine by targeting centralized heating infrastructure crucial for millions of residents in urban areas. On 24 January 2026, a missile bombardment disabled heating in almost 6,000 apartment blocks in Kyiv alone, following earlier similar strikes on 9 and 20 January. Ukrainians faced subzero temperatures below -15C with many unable to heat their homes due to disconnections in heating and electricity services. The attacks exploit inherited Soviet-era urban planning where large thermal power plants (TETs) supply communal heating to vast numbers of apartments, making them a critical node vulnerable to missile and drone attacks. Unlike electricity, heating cannot be easily replaced with generators in the short term. Kyiv authorities responded by establishing warming centers. Experts note Russia's deliberate shift to striking heating infrastructure as a new tactic of pressure during ongoing conflict negotiations. The Ukrainian government aims to transition to individual heating systems at apartment blocks to mitigate future risks, recognizing that this presents a challenging long-term infrastructural shift.

Russia has intensified its winter campaign against Ukraine by targeting centralized heating infrastructure crucial for millions of residents in urban areas. On 24 January 2026, a missile bombardment disabled heating in almost 6,000 apartment blocks in Kyiv alone, following earlier similar strikes on 9 and 20 January. Ukrainians faced subzero temperatures below -15C with many unable to heat their homes due to disconnections in heating and electricity services. The attacks exploit inherited Soviet-era urban planning where large thermal power plants (TETs) supply communal heating to vast numbers of apartments, making them a critical node vulnerable to missile and drone attacks. Unlike electricity, heating cannot be easily replaced with generators in the short term. Kyiv authorities responded by establishing warming centers. Experts note Russia's deliberate shift to striking heating infrastructure as a new tactic of pressure during ongoing conflict negotiations. The Ukrainian government aims to transition to individual heating systems at apartment blocks to mitigate future risks, recognizing that this presents a challenging long-term infrastructural shift.