Russia attacked Ukraine’s power grid as Winter Approaches

The ongoing blockade has cut off electricity and water supplies to citizens of Ukrainians, but the Kremlin blames civilian suffering not on Russian missiles but on Kiev’s refusal to negotiate.

Russian attacks hit several Ukrainian cities on Thursday, the recent series of attacks have shattered the country’s energy infrastructure as winter approaches, and temperatures drop.

The ongoing blockade has cut off electricity and water supplies for millions of Ukrainians, but the Kremlin blames civilian suffering not on Russian missiles but on Kiev’s refusal to negotiate.

Several AFP journalists in Ukraine said the new attacks came as snow fell for the first time this season after Kyiv officials warned of “difficult” days ahead as cold weather approaches.

The salvos came after Moscow and Kyiv confirmed the extension of a deal allowing Ukraine to export grain via the Black Sea, which is aimed at helping boost world food supplies.

After its victory against Russia, Ukraine has faced several attacks against its power grid, most recently Moscow’s withdrawal from the southern city of Kherson.

“Two cruise missiles were fired over Kyiv. Information about casualties and losses is being clarified,” said the Kyiv regional administration, adding that Russian forces have also deployed Iran-made drones.

‘Critical Situation’ –

Valentin Reznichenko, the head of Dnipropetrovsk Central Region, said that the Russian attack had hit the administrative center of Dnipro.

“The factory has been damaged. There was a big fire,” he said, adding that 14 people, including a 15-year-old girl, were injured.

In the southern Odesa region, Russian attacks also targeted infrastructure, and the mayor warned residents of the threat of a “massive” missile attack in the Black Sea region.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has released an inflammatory video showing Russia’s attack on the Dnipro, calling Moscow a “terrorist state” and saying Moscow “wants more pain and suffering to Ukrainians.”

Earlier this week, the most significant wave of Russian rocket fire in Ukrainian cities knocked out power to millions of homes, but within hours the emphasis was largely restored to those who had been cut off.

Tensions rose earlier this week after a rocket landed in a Polish town on the border with Ukraine, and who was responsible for an explosion that killed two people.

Zelensky appears to have softened public opinion on the issue, which has sparked a wave of fear-mongering after talking about Russian missiles being blamed.

“I don’t know what happened. We don’t know for sure. The world doesn’t know,” said Zelenskyy.

“But I’m sure it’s a Russian missile; we were shot from the air defence system. But today, it’s impossible to talk about something specific – it’s the air defence of Ukraine,” he said.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also backed down on Kyiv’s insistence that it was a Russian missile that hit Poland after a phone call with US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken.

“Russia bears full responsibility for rocket terrorism and its consequences on the territory of Ukraine, Poland, and Moldova,” tweeted Kuleba.

Russia said images from the impact site showed that Kyiv fired the missile and that the strike was aimed at an area 35 km from the Polish border.