Russia Attacked Ukraine’s Capital Kyiv With Ballistic Missiles

Russia Attacked Ukraine’s Capital Kyiv With Ballistic Missiles After Temporary Pause
Kyiv, Ukraine (Feb 2 – 3, 2026) Russian forces launched ballistic missiles at Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, early on Tuesday, Ukrainian authorities reported, breaking a brief pause in major strikes that had been agreed by Russia and the United States as part of diplomatic efforts amid extreme winter conditions.
Local officials said several powerful explosions were heard across Kyiv as the assault unfolded, with residential buildings damaged and emergency crews responding amid freezing temperatures.
CNN journalists in the city reported the sounds of explosions and an ongoing air raid alert as the strikes hit deep into the Ukrainian capital.
The latest attack came following a temporary pause in Russian strikes on major Ukrainian cities and infrastructure, which Moscow agreed to at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump and as part of trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving Russia, Ukraine, and the United States.
The pause was intended to ease suffering during plummeting winter temperatures, with Kyiv and other cities experiencing temperatures near –20 °C. The Kremlin said the pause applied through Sunday but has since ended, with strikes resuming on major population centres.
Ukrainian authorities said the strikes struck multi-storey residential buildings, causing damage in several districts of Kyiv and igniting fires.
According to the Kyiv military administration head Tymur Tkachenko, parts of the city saw direct hits on residential blocks, leaving structures damaged in the early hours of Tuesday.
In addition to Kyiv, Russian forces reportedly launched ballistic missiles at Dnipro in eastern Ukraine, according to the Ukrainian Air Force.
The renewed barrage followed a period of respite during which targeted energy infrastructure had seen fewer attacks, even as broader shelling along front-line regions continued.
Kyiv residents and emergency services were already coping with extreme cold, power shortages, and sustained infrastructure strain before the resumption of strikes, prompting international concern.
The temporary pause in strikes had been framed as a humanitarian gesture lasting until early February, aimed at helping civilians endure severe weather and disruption to electricity and heat.
However, the resumption of ballistic missile attacks even after a brief truce underscores the fragility of ceasefire agreements and ongoing tensions in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
The strike marked a return to high-intensity missile assaults on Ukraine’s capital after a very brief lull in direct attacks.
Residents of Kyiv and other cities had braced for winter with limited energy infrastructure and ongoing conflict pressures.
The attack occurred amid continuing high-level negotiations involving Ukraine, Russia, and the United States in Abu Dhabi.
Despite diplomatic engagements aimed at fostering a longer-term ceasefire, Russian forces resumed assaults that inflicted damage on civilian structures in the heart of Kyiv, illustrating the volatile and unresolved nature of the war.