Russian missiles and drones have pounded Ukraine’s energy grid in recent weeks. That has plunged people into frozen darkness in one of the country’s coldest winters on record.

BEIJING/MOSCOW, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed their ties during a video call on Wednesday held in the run-up to the fourth anniversary of Moscow's war in Ukraine.

Ukraine-Russia: Zelensky says 55,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in war as Kremlin vows to fight on - Moscow pressures Zelensky to give in over Donetsk as talks continue in Abu Dhabi

While the three countries, with Washington as the mediator, huddled in Abu Dhabi, Russia continued its assault in Ukraine and virtually incapacitated its energy grid amid harsh winters

The announcement comes a day after one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's top envoys held surprise talks with US officials in Florida without Ukraine.

Ukrainian president says Abu Dhabi talks expected to lead to a fresh exchange, as US-led talks enter day two. What we know on day 1,443

"I hope no one ever finds themselves in the same situation of brutal legal abuse that I did," Artemy Ostaninsaid in his final statement in court.

The Washington Post's Ukraine correspondent has announced that she was laid off by the billionaire Jeff Bezos-owned newspaper "in the middle of a war zone."

Ukraine-Russia: 55,000 of our soldiers killed in war, Zelensky says, as Kremlin vows to fight on - Moscow pressures Zelensky to give in over Donetsk as talks continue in Abu Dhabi