Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo informed ambassadors the beginning of 2026 had introduced “no peace or even respite to Ukraine, but renewed fighting and devastation.”
“As temperatures plummet far below freezing, the Russian Federation has intensified its systematic attacks targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,” she stated, noting that the strikes had killed and injured scores of civilians and disadvantaged thousands and thousands of electrical energy, heating and water for extended intervals.
The influence, she added, is felt most acutely by older individuals, kids and people with restricted mobility.
Drone and missile onslaught
Ms. DiCarlo cited a serious in a single day barrage between 8 and 9 January during which Russia reportedly launched 242 drones and 36 missiles.
In Kyiv, not less than 4 individuals have been reportedly killed and 25 injured, together with a paramedic who died whereas responding to an earlier strike, reportedly hit by a so-called “double-tap” assault.
Nearly half of the capital was left with out heatingand a whole bunch of hundreds of residents have been affected.
Energy and residential services have been additionally broken in western Lviv area, close to the Polish border, the place an intermediate-range ballistic missile referred to as “Oreshnik” was reportedly used for the second time since 2024.
The weapon is believed able to carrying nuclear payloadsheightening worldwide concern.
Ports and delivery have additionally come beneath assault. On 8 January, two foreign-flagged civilian vessels have been struck by Russian drones within the Odesa area.
Two individuals have been reportedly killed and eight injured in subsequent port assaults that broken storage services and containers. Odesa was hit once more on Sundayin what Ms. DiCarlo described as a “concerning escalation” concentrating on Ukraine’s port infrastructure and business delivery.
USG DiCarlo briefs the Security Council.
Humanitarian penalties
The humanitarian impacts have been outlined by Ramesh Rajasingham, Director of the Humanitarian Sector on the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
He stated large-scale strikes have been pushing “the very means of winter survival to the brink,” as temperatures dropped to almost minus 10 levels Celsius.
“What makes these attacks especially devastating is that they cripple the systems that keep civilians alive during winter,” he stated.
In Kryvyi Rih, households have been melting snow for laundry and heating water over candles throughout extended energy cuts.
In Kyiv, greater than 1,200 heated protected areas are working, alongside 68 extra heating factors arrange by emergency companies and humanitarian companions.
A large view of the Security Council assembly.
Displacement continues
Civilians proceed to flee frontline areas beneath harmful situations, significantly from the Donetsk area, with many arriving in safer areas needing shelter, medical care and winter help. Humanitarian entry stays constrained.
According to UN estimates, 10.8 million individuals in Ukraine want humanitarian help.
On Tuesday, the UN and companions are set to launch a $2.31 billion humanitarian attraction for 2026 to help 4.12 million individuals going through essentially the most extreme wants.
Both officers reiterated that assaults on civilians and civilian infrastructure violate worldwide humanitarian regulation. “They are unacceptable, unjustifiable, and must stop immediately,” Ms. DiCarlo stated.
“Civilians who are enduring these attacks need more than statements of concern from this council. They need concrete action to reduce civilian harm and ensure that humanitarian support continues to reach people when they need it most,” Mr. Rajasingham added.
https://news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2026/01/1166748