2026-02-03 23:57, updated 2026-02-04 00:15
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2026-02-03 23:57
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2026-02-04 00:15
US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin had kept his word to refrain from attacking Ukrainian cities for a week. He noted that it was a period “from Sunday to Sunday”.
– It was from Sunday to Sunday and it ended and it hit them hard last night – Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked about the massive Russian attack carried out on the night from Monday to Tuesday.
He added that Putin “kept his word on this matter.” – That's a lot… One week… We'll take it allbecause it's really cold there (in Ukraine), he emphasized. He also noted that he would like the bombing break to be extended and the war to end.
Earlier on Tuesday, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said President Trump was not surprised that Russia had resumed attacks against Ukrainian energy infrastructure.
Were they stockpiling rockets?
According to the Ukrainian authorities, Russia's latest attack was the largest since the beginning of the year, using 450 drones and over 60 missiles. The shelling affected, among others, Kiev, Kharkov and Dnieper, causing power and heating outages during 20-degree frosts.
On Monday, Trump repeated that he had received assurances from Putin that he would refrain from attacking Ukrainian cities for a week due to the frost in Ukraine.
Trump announced an agreement on the matter for the first time on Thursday. However, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov suggested that Russia had agreed to refrain from carrying out attacks until February 1.
Zelensky: They were waiting for the worst frosts
According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Russian army took advantage of the American ceasefire proposal not to implement diplomatic solutions, but in his opinion, Russia stockpiled missiles and waited for the coldest days of the year.
Zelensky said his country is waiting for the United States' response to Russia's largest night attack on Ukrainian energy infrastructure this year.
Victims of a “quiet” week
During the week between February 25 and February 1, Russian attacks occurred against Ukraine. Among other things, on Sunday, Russian forces attacked a bus carrying miners; According to Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba, 16 people died. At least four people were killed on January 27 in an attack by three Russian drones on a civilian train in the north-eastern part of the Kharkiv region. Three people were killed and 25 injured in a Russian drone attack on Odessa on the Black Sea on the night of Monday to Tuesday last week.
Ukrainian ambassador to the US: Russian night attack is an attack on Trump
The massive attack on Ukraine carried out by Russia on the night from Monday to Tuesday is a direct attack on US President Donald Trump, Olha Stefaniszyna, Ukrainian ambassador to the US, told PAP on Tuesday. She added that the attack should have serious consequences for Russia.
– It was one of the biggest attacks throughout the winter. It happened before the worst frosts in Ukraine, reaching -22 degrees Celsius. At night, Ukraine was attacked with over 70 rockets and over 450 drones, the ambassador emphasized.
She added that missiles launched by Russia can only be neutralized with the help of the Patriot anti-missile system. – Therefore, our task is to accelerate actions aimed at strengthening our air defense, purchasing ammunition for those types of weapons that are able to defend the Ukrainian sky – she added.
– This attack is more than telling on the eve of the next round of talks in Abu Dhabi – she said, referring to the negotiations between Ukraine, the US and Russia scheduled for February 4-5.
According to her, the attack should determine the United States' strategy because it is a “direct attack against the US president.” “It's undermining his intention, his promise to end the war, which was the first promise of the US president,” she added.
Stefanishyna spoke out about the “serious” consequences of this attack for Russia. – At least there should be a vote on the sanctions law. Or, knowing President Trump, he certainly has enough imagination, instruments and resources to make a decision in a language that his enemies will understand, Stefaniszyna concluded.
Natalia Dziurdzińska from Washington
From Washington Natalia Dziurdzińska (PAP)
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