Ukraine is preparing for mass blackouts, as well as for new attacks on its energy infrastructure. The mayor of Kyiv called on the residents of the city to be prepared for the worst-case scenario, in particular for the absence of electricity and water.

US officials have privately warned the Ukrainian government that it should signal the start of negotiations with Russia. And US national security adviser Jake Sullivan has reportedly held secret talks with senior Russian officials in hopes of reducing the risk of nuclear conflict, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Summary of the last 24 hours of the war:

• Ukraine is preparing for mass blackouts, as well as for new attacks on its energy infrastructure. Russia is “concentrating forces and means for a possible repetition of massive attacks on our energy infrastructure,” the president of Ukraine said.

• On Monday, Ukraine faced a 32 percent electricity shortage, reported Serhiy Kovalenko, CEO of Yasno, the capital’s main energy supplier. About 500 generators were sent to Ukraine by 17 EU countries, as 4.5 million Ukrainians were left without electricity.

• The mayor of Kyiv urged residents to prepare for the worst scenario. Vitaliy Klitschko called on residents to “pay attention to everything”, including the lack of electricity and water. “If you have a large family or friends outside Kyiv, where there is autonomous water supply, an oven, heating, please consider staying there for a certain time.”

• The Russian-occupied city of Kherson was cut off from water and electricity supplies on Sunday after an airstrike. Russia accused Ukraine of “sabotage”.

• The Ukrainian military said Russia was urging residents of Kherson to evacuate as soon as possible by sending warning messages to their phones on Sunday. The administration in Kherson installed by the Kremlin has already expelled tens of thousands of civilians from the city.

• Russian troops intensify shelling in the Donetsk direction. “Very powerful Russian attacks on the Donetsk region continue. The enemy is suffering heavy losses there,” Zelenskyy said in his speech yesterday evening.

• US officials have privately warned the Ukrainian government that it should signal the start of negotiations with Russia. Officials in Washington have warned that “Ukraine fatigue” among allies could intensify if Kyiv continues to be opaque about the negotiations, writes the Washington Post.

• According to the Wall Street Journal, US national security adviser Jake Sullivan held secret talks with high-ranking Russian officials in hopes of reducing the risk of a nuclear conflict. He cited US and allied officials as saying that Sullivan had held several talks in recent months with Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov and Russian Security Council Secretary Mykola Patrushev, a colleague of Sullivan’s. The White House declined to comment.

The main thing for Sunday, the 257th day of the war in Ukraine, TEXT OF THE LIVE MODE:

06:20 In the Russian-controlled city of Kherson in southern Ukraine, electricity and water were temporarily cut off, local officials said

06:10The President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyi, said that Russia plans to use Iranian missiles for possible strikes on the infrastructure of Ukraine, in particular the country’s energy sector.

10:52 pm According to the estimates of the Def Mon Twitter account, which monitors the development of the front, after February 2, Ukrainian troops liberated half of the territory occupied by Russian troops:

22:29Zelensky: Russia will suffer heavy losses in Donetsk region