In a move that will surprise absolutely no one, Russia's defence ministry announced on Sunday that it is preparing 'massive strikes' on Ukraine's energy infrastructure. The reason? Tit-for-tat, of course, in response to Ukrainian attacks on Russian oil and energy facilities. Because nothing says 'proportional response' like plunging millions into sub-zero darkness again.

The announcement came as the death toll from Friday's Russian strike on a warehouse in Myla, west of Kyiv, rose to 38, with four people still missing. Ukrainian officials say the warehouse was storing ammunition, and the resulting explosions and fires swept through dozens of nearby homes. This makes it the deadliest attack of the year, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Because apparently, the year needed a new benchmark for tragedy.

Meanwhile, in Kyiv, a Saturday strike killed a 2-year-old girl and injured 12 others, according to Mayor Vitali Klitschko. In the eastern village of Bilbasovka, a 13-year-old and an adult died after Russian troops dropped bombs on private houses on Sunday, as reported by local official Vadim Lyakh. Because nothing says 'military precision' like bombing houses.

But the attacks aren't one-sided. On Sunday evening, a missile attack killed two people and injured 16 in the Russian city of Belgorod, near the border with Ukraine, according to acting governor Alexander Shuvayev. He said Ukraine hit a commercial facility, sparking fires in seven warehouses. Another person was killed in a Ukrainian attack on a mine in the Russian-controlled part of Luhansk region, as reported by the region's Russian-installed governor, Leonid Pasechnik. Because in this war, everyone gets a turn at mourning.

Amid the chaos, Ukraine's defence minister, Yevhenii Khmara, said Kyiv wants to bring forward part of a European Union loan earmarked for next year to help cover a $27bn budget deficit this year. He also revealed that Ukraine has tested four potential interceptors to shoot down the jet-powered drones Russia is increasingly firing at Ukraine. Swarms of these high-speed drones have plagued Kyiv for four consecutive days, killing residents, damaging homes and warehouses, and generally ruining everyone's day.

President Zelenskyy said Ukraine is preparing for further talks with representatives of US President Donald Trump. "There will be more details tomorrow. We will do everything we can so that war does not remain the only option for how events unfold further," he said in a televised statement. Because at this point, 'everything we can' seems to involve a lot of hoping and a little bit of diplomacy.

A NATO official said on Sunday that Russia is stepping up hybrid acts in Europe, but the alliance sees no imminent threat of attack. "Even as the Russians are facing very substantial resistance from Ukraine, they are stepping up attacks on Ukraine as well as hybrid acts in Europe," the official said. "As always, NATO remains vigilant and alert to the variety of threats we face. At this time, we see no imminent threat of attack." Because nothing says 'reassuring' like a vague statement about vigilance while your neighbour's power grid explodes.