The situation 1404 – January 24, 2026

1. US, Ukrainian, and Russian delegations concluded a second day of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on January 24.
2. Kremlin officials continue to respond to ongoing negotiations by reiterating Russia’s commitment to Russian President Vladimir Putin’s original maximalist war aims in Ukraine while attempting to rhetorically shift the blame for the Kremlin’s own reticence onto Ukraine.
3. Russia launched another combined missile and drone strike overnight on January 23 to 24 primarily targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure throughout Ukraine, particularly Kyiv City.
4. Russia’s intensified long-range strike campaign targeting Ukrainian energy infrastructure throughout Fall 2025 and Winter 2025-2026 has significantly degraded Ukraine’s energy grid, disproportionately effecting Ukrainian civilians.
5. Russia’s continued devastating strike campaign against Ukrainian energy infrastructure emphasizes Ukraine’s urgent need for additional air defense systems and munitions for a holistic and well-rounded air defense umbrella.
6. Independent reporting continues to indicate that Russian forces and authorities continue systematically abusing Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWs) in Russian detention in violation of international law.
7. Thousands of Ukrainians remain in Russian detention and are subject to this abuse.
8. Russian milbloggers continue to highlight the inconsistency between the Russian military command’s claims of advances and the reality on the battlefield particularly in the Kupyansk direction.
9. Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov appointed former Deputy Digital Transformation Minister Valeria Ionan as a Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MoD) advisor on international projects.   
10. Ukrainian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area. Russian forces recently advanced in the Kostyantynivka-Druzhkivka tactical area and near Slovyansk.

The full update of the Russian offensive 1404 is available on UNDERSTANDING WAR.