111 Russian drones hit Ukraine hours after Trump claims Putin agreed to pause strikes

An elderly Ukrainian woman uses a gas stove to heat her flat amid power cuts caused by Russian attacks (Symbolic image) (Photo by Roman PILIPEY / AFP via Getty Images) Getty Images

US President Donald Trump claimed he personally secured a week-long halt on attacks against major Ukrainian cities from Russian President Vladimir Putin due to extreme cold weather. Hours later, Russia launched over 100 drones and a ballistic missile into Ukraine, killing one person and injuring five. The Kremlin confirmed Trump's request but clarified the "goodwill" expires Sunday, just as temperatures will plunge below -20C.

Trump announced Thursday he had asked Putin not to fire on Kyiv and other cities for a week during what he called "extraordinary cold" conditions. "They said they've never experienced cold like that, and I personally asked President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week and he agreed to do that. And I have to tell you, it was very nice. People said, 'Don't waste the call, you're not going to get that,'" Trump told his Cabinet.

Russia launched 111 long-range drones and one ballistic missile across Ukraine on Friday. The attacks killed a city bus driver in Kherson and injured five civilians. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported on social media: "Drone attacks on ordinary residential buildings in cities also continue. A ballistic missile was used against the Kharkiv region – civilian production warehouses were damaged, including those of an American company,"

Kremlin confirms request but sets Sunday deadline

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed Trump's claim but added critical timing details. "I can say that President Trump did indeed make a personal request to President Putin to refrain from striking Kyiv for a week, until February 1, as a way to create more hospitable conditions for negotiations," Peskov told reporters, according to the Moscow Times. The deadline falls Sunday, precisely when the coldest temperatures will hit.

White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly defended Trump's claim: "As President Trump said, he asked President Putin to withhold strikes on Kyiv for one week amid extremely cold temperatures, and the Russian president agreed to do so. President Trump has done more than anyone to save lives and bring this brutal war to an end."

Ukrainians brace for catastrophic cold

Temperatures will drop below -20C in Dnipro and potentially colder in Kyiv this weekend. Many Ukrainians lack central heating since January due to Russian strikes on the power grid. Yulia Hailunas, a civilian in Dnipro, fears the extreme cold will cause irreparable damage. "That's what's really scary, because all the heating pipes will burst and we won't be able to repair them again. It will be a catastrophe," she said.

Russia has deliberately targeted Ukraine's energy grid for the fourth consecutive winter, making it increasingly fragile. Engineers from Ukraine's national rail company and elsewhere are working around the clock to restore electricity and repair heating pipes. The Geneva Convention bans attacks on infrastructure causing excessive harm to civilians.

Skepticism and continuing displacement

Ukrainians express deep distrust of any Russian assurances. "I think Putin wants to turn people against their government, to have them say: 'Just give Russia anything to make this stop'," Yulia said. "He wants to break us, but it won't work."

Civilians continue fleeing homes near the frontlines. Iryna, whose daughter Kateryna evacuated from Vasylkivka with her children, described the Russian advance: "Our village wasn't touched at first, but now it's a total combat zone. The drones are hitting every day," she said. On one day, she observed 50 Shahed drones overhead.

Ukraine agreed to mirror restraint by halting its own strikes on Russian oil refineries and shadow fleet, aiming to demonstrate willingness in Trump's peace efforts. Zelenskyy stated Friday: "Ukraine is ready to mirror the restraint, and today we did not attack Russian energy," Negotiators will meet Sunday in the United Arab Emirates, though no senior US delegates will attend.

Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).