Anna Hartz
A so-called “energy truce” between Russia and Ukraine offered a brief hope, but the reality has been very different.
Winter in Ukraine has been brutal this year. Power outages and damaged infrastructure have made life harder for civilians and soldiers alike.
Never Meant Peace
The U.S. think tank Institute for the Study of War (ISW) says Russia’s energy truce was never meant to de-escalate the war or move toward peace, according to LA. On the night of February 3, Russia launched a massive attack that caused the worst damage to Ukrainian energy company DTEK since the start of 2026. Analysts call it a cynical tactic.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the ceasefire was supposed to start after trilateral talks on January 23-24 and last until the next round of talks. That meeting was originally set for February 1 but was postponed to February 4-5. Zelensky said the initiative came from Washington to reduce tensions and create room for diplomacy.
ISW notes that Russia has a pattern of offering short-term ceasefires to appear cooperative. The Kremlin has repeatedly refused calls from Ukraine and the U.S. for a longer or permanent pause. This energy truce fits that pattern. Analysts say Russia used the pause to gather forces and prepare for new attacks while presenting the temporary ceasefire as a goodwill gesture.
Blackouts and Drone Attacks
Even during the ceasefire, Russian forces continued targeting Ukraine’s logistics and critical infrastructure. Railways, transport hubs, and other systems were attacked, showing that the pause was not serious. On January 31, Ukraine suffered a widespread blackout.
There were no new strikes on the energy sector that day, but previous attacks had damaged the grid so badly that even a technical failure caused outages. ISW analysts point out that the temporary ceasefire came after Russia had already weakened Ukraine’s energy system.
Earlier, on January 29, U.S. President Donald Trump said he asked Vladimir Putin to pause attacks for a week because of extreme cold. The Kremlin later agreed to hold off until February 1, supposedly creating better conditions for talks.
Despite the truce, Russia struck again. Zelensky reported more than 70 missiles and around 450 attack drones were used. ISW concludes that the “energy truce” was not a step toward peace but part of a broader strategy to maintain pressure and inflict more damage on Ukraine.
