Russia and Ukraine pause energy strikes, bloggers claim
Military bloggers from both Russia and Ukraine report a mutual halt to attacks on energy infrastructure, though neither government has confirmed the arrangement. These unverified claims surfaced on January 29, fueling talk of a diplomatic shift after recent U.S.-mediated talks in Abu Dhabi.
Vladimir Romanov, who runs the pro-war Telegram channel Romanov Light, stated that Russian forces received a high-level order on January 28 to suspend strikes on Ukrainian energy targets, including power substations, thermal and hydroelectric plants, gas storage facilities, oil depots, and fuel depots. He indicated the pause would last until February 3.
On the Ukrainian side, Kostiantyn Nemichiev, founder of the KRAKEN special forces unit, posted on social media that an energy truce appears active from both parties. "Let's see if they stick to it," he added.
The Kremlin offered no comment. Spokesman Dmitri Peskov told reporters he could not yet address the reports.
Skepticism abounds. Ukrainian journalist Denys Kazansky suggested the pause might be tactical, allowing Russia to replenish missile stocks after recent strikes on Kyiv that used Zircon missiles and 2026-produced weapons. Oleksandr Musiienko, a Ukrainian military expert with the Territorial Defense, told RBC-Ukraine that intelligence shows Russia gearing up for more attacks on energy and critical sites, dismissing truce rumors as baseless speculation.
The claims follow trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi on January 23 and 24, described as constructive by all sides. Reports from the Financial Times indicate U.S. and Ukrainian delegates discussed a potential energy truce: Russia would stop hitting Ukrainian power grids if Kyiv ceased strikes on Russian oil refineries and shadow fleet tankers.
Past energy ceasefires have faltered. March 2025 Riyadh talks yielded a technical agreement, but differing start dates and repeated Russian violations undermined it. In December 2025, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky proposed a truce, only for the Kremlin to reject it, insisting Russia seeks full peace, not a partial halt.
Another round of trilateral negotiations is set for February 1 in Abu Dhabi.
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