Russian airstrikes on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have caused power outages for hundreds of thousands of households in four regions of the country. Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, stated that energy infrastructure in the Dnipro, Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, and Khmelnytsky regions has been targeted.
Power and Infrastructure at Risk
Zelensky said in a message on the social media platform X: "Power facilities, transformers, and power lines that supply electricity to our people's homes have been targeted. Repair teams are working in all regions. Currently, hundreds of thousands of families are without electricity." He also noted that "Russia's extensive attacks on other critical infrastructure in Ukraine continue unabated."
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The President of Ukraine criticized the intensity of the attacks, accusing Russia of trying to exploit Ukraine's lack of air defense systems to counter ballistic missiles. Zelensky called on the United States and other allied countries to provide more weapons as soon as possible for better defense of Ukraine.
Peace Talks and Drone Attacks
Meanwhile, Yuri Ushakov, an advisor to the Kremlin, announced that Russia wants to hold initial rounds of peace talks involving only Moscow, Kyiv, and Washington. Ushakov stated: "We have working communications with the Americans, so it makes sense for at least the initial rounds to be held in a trilateral format."
Additionally, a drone attack on an industrial facility in eastern Moscow has caused significant damage. Gleb Nikitin, the governor of Nizhny Novgorod, reported the destruction of over 100 drones and stated that initial information indicates there were no casualties. The facility targeted in the attack has not yet been identified, but Ukrainian media reported that the target was the Kstovo oil refinery.
Ukraine has repeatedly targeted Russian oil and gas facilities in response to Russia's attacks on its energy infrastructure. This comes as the United States has pressured Kyiv to halt these attacks, as they have led to rising diesel prices.
In another event, Zelensky has traveled to Istanbul to discuss shipping issues in the Black Sea with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Zelensky wrote on X: "We are working to strengthen the security of our people and develop our bilateral partnership with Turkey."
The U.S. Embassy in Russia also reported a serious threat of a high-casualty event at a historic site in southern Moscow and stated that it is coordinating with Russian authorities to respond to this threat.
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