War for Ukraine Day 1,415: When Winter First Begins To Bite
(Image by NEIVANMADE)
Here’s the Russian butcher’s bill and Ukrainian air defense tally from yesterday:
Official: Russia carried out a strike on Ukraine using the Oreshnik missile, – the Air Force of Ukraine.
The main axis of attack was Kyiv Oblast.
Air defenses intercepted 18 of 36 missiles and 226 of 242 UAVs:
— Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 10:59 AM
8 of 13 ballistic missiles (Iskander-M and S-400).
Impacts were recorded from 18 missiles and 16 attack UAVs across 19 locations.
— Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Approximate map of the routes taken by the missiles and drones that attacked Ukraine last night
— Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Russia murders Ukrainians with drones, bombs, and missiles every single day. Every day!
Yet when they launch one ridiculous Wunderwaffe to project strength, that’s all the news outlets want to talk about, playing straight into russian propaganda’s hands.
— Kate from Kharkiv (@kateinkharkiv.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 9:58 AM
Russia continues to hammering Ukrainian electricity generation and transmission infrastructure to cause maximum civilian harm during a very cold stretch of early January.
Kyiv. No water. No electricity since 5 a.m.
I couldn’t reach my granny today on the phone.In the coming days, temperatures will drop almost to −20°C.
Russia is using the cold weather to terrorize civilians. I hate that fucking country.
— Maria Drutska (@mariadrutska.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 1:49 PM
Half of Kyiv — almost six thousand high-rise homes — were left without heating in Kyiv after the russian massive attack.
It’s minus 8 degrees Celsius now going down to minus 17 tomorrow night (!)
Could you imagine half of your city getting frozen by the terrorist state?
— Olena Halushka (@halushka.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 5:04 AM
If the west wasn’t filled to the brim with backstabbing bastards and spineless bitches Moscow would be going through this, not Kyiv
— Dmytro Spivakov (@dmytro-spivakov.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 9:31 AM
Kyiv Mayor Klitschko urges residents to ‘temporarily leave city’ as Russia targets critical infrastructure.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on residents of the capital, if possible, to leave the city after a Russian attack on Jan. 9 left half of the city’s apartment buildings without heating.
— The Kyiv Independent (@kyivindependent.com) January 9, 2026 at 7:24 AM
From The Kyiv Independent:
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko called on residents of the capital, if possible, to leave the city after a Russian attack on Jan. 9 left half of the city’s apartment buildings without heating.
As temperatures dropped below -10°C (14°F), Russia launched a mass attack on Ukraine overnight with 242 drones and 36 missiles, with Kyiv and its surrounding areas being the primary targets, the Air Force reported. The attack hit energy infrastructure facilities and multiple residential buildings in the capital, killing at least four people and injuring 19 others.
“We are doing everything we can to resolve this as quickly as possible. However, the combined attack on Kyiv last night was the most devastating for the capital’s critical infrastructure,” Klitschko said.
As of the time of publication, heating was knocked out in about 6,000 apartment buildings across Kyiv — nearly half of the city’s total — following the Russian attack overnight, according to the mayor.
The city is also facing water supply interruptions, with emergency power outages being introduced.
“I appeal to the residents of the capital, who have the opportunity to temporarily leave the city for places where there are alternative sources of power and heat, to do so,” Klitschko said.
The mayor said that hospitals and maternity wards have been reconnected to power and heating. Efforts to restore power and heating for residential homes in Kyiv is ongoing.
Mykola Kolisnyk, deputy energy minister, said that the fewer consumers there are, “the easier it is to handle the situation.” If there is no heating supply, residents start using electricity to heat their homes, which, in turn, increases electricity consumption, the official added.
“This is why, when the population is more, let’s say spread across villages and other regions, there will be less pressure specifically in one city,” Kolisnyk told the Kyiv Independent.
Kyiv, home to around 4 million people, has endured multiple of Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure since the start of the full-scale war in 2022. Over past months, Moscow has continued pounding energy facilities, with Ukrainian officials warning that Russia is attempting to shut down the energy grid region by region.
In recent days, Russia has targeted regional capitals in the east and south, leaving Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia oblasts without power on the evening of Jan. 7.
Russian forces also targeted critical infrastructure in the western Lviv Oblast overnight on Jan. 9, launching its new Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile.
Here is President Zelenskyy’s address from earlier today. Video below, English transcript after the jump.
The Russians Are Exploiting the Weather – The Cold Snap – Trying to Hit as Many of Our Energy Facilities as Possible – Address by the President
9 January 2026 – 19:19
Dear Ukrainians!
Restoration efforts are currently underway in our cities and our communities – in Kyiv and the region, in the Dnipro, Lviv, Kirovohrad, Cherkasy, and Odesa regions. Repair crews are almost constantly working in the Sumy, Chernihiv, and Kharkiv regions. Maximum forces are deployed to restore vital services. The Russians are exploiting the weather – the cold snap – trying to hit as many of our energy facilities as possible. So much for their respect for America and all diplomacy. Last night, over 200 Russian drones were launched, as well as a significant number of ballistic missiles, primarily targeting Kyiv. Four people were killed – my condolences to their families. Nearly thirty were wounded. Prior to that, there were strikes on Dnipro, Kryvyi Rih, and Zaporizhzhia. And before that – Odesa. The main Russian tactic is to try to completely shut cities down. It is crucial that every city administration understands this goal, the goal of the enemy, and prepares for full counteraction, for actual work for the benefit of citizens. The focus should not be on avoiding problems but on solving them, especially when the resources exist to do so – as in Kyiv. It is the best-financed city in Ukraine, and all necessary backup systems must be in place.
Today, I held a special energy meeting with military officials, government representatives, and specialized services to discuss the details of protecting energy facilities and the necessary decisions. Diplomats must be as active as possible – through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and informal diplomatic channels.
Oreshnik was used again – this time against the Lviv region. Once again, it was pointedly close to the borders of the European Union. And in terms of using medium-range ballistic missiles, this poses the same challenge for all: Warsaw, Bucharest, Budapest, and many other capitals as well. Everyone needs to see this in the same way and with the same seriousness: if the Russians aren’t even bothering to come up with a plausible excuse for using such weapons, then no personal connections and no rhetoric will protect anyone from this. What is needed is a system of joint action, a system of collective defense – one that truly works. Does such a system exist now? That’s an open question, because across Europe there is the same doubt – whether their capital would be defended if Putin suddenly lost it.
Today, I received a detailed military briefing from the Commander-in-Chief and the Chief of the General Staff, including on work with partners in recent days on security guarantees. The documents are largely finalized. But the essence of these documents – their strength – lies in ensuring confidence that the guarantees will work. This can only be truly seen if protection is also operational right now. Timely delivery of air-defense systems. Timely delivery of equipment for our resilience and our energy infrastructure. Timely provision of financial support for Ukraine – for our defense and our stability. There are many details, and each one must be worked through now in a way that ensures confidence for tomorrow.
I also want to thank all our people involved in responding to the aftermath of the strikes. This is truly heroic work. In hours, people accomplish what in other countries can take days or weeks. The important thing is that help is available everywhere, repairs are happening everywhere, and maximum effort is being made to restore electricity and heating to the people. I have tasked government officials with communicating as fully as possible what will be done and within what timeframe. I thank everyone who is helping! I thank everyone who supports our people. I thank all the leaders who have not stayed silent and who are standing with us, with Ukraine.
Glory to Ukraine!
Georgia:
Somewhere in residential Tbilisi.
— Marika Mikiashvili
(@marikamikiashvili.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 9:33 AM
From Goga Khachidze’s Facebook profile
— Marika Mikiashvili
1/ Dream is threatening to arrest a citizen for protesting on the pavement. A judge ruled that Giorgi Tsulaia’s administrative case “constitutes violations under the Criminal Code,” and it has now been transferred to the MIA.
— Publika.ge (@publikage.bsky.social) January 9, 2026 at 8:24 AM
2/ Giorgi Tsulaia had already been deemed to have “violated” the law once for blocking the road. Under GD’s new repressive laws, a second administrative violation, such as alleged obstruction of pavements, triggers crim
Saint James Talarico (he/him)
David Harsanyi, Washington Examinerمصدر …
