Russian strikes wound nine and damage Ukraine’s power network ahead of talks

Russian missile and drone strikes struck Ukrainian energy infrastructure overnight, leading to blackouts, disrupted water supplies and damage to residential buildings, a Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has reported. Kyiv, the capital, suffered the most extensive damage, while nine people were injured, including a child, in the series of attacks. More than 30 ballistic missiles and over 170 drones were deployed in the strikes, which targeted 12 Ukrainian regions, with Kyiv bearing the brunt of the assault.

The attacks, reported by Zelensky on Telegram, reflect Russia's strategic preparations ahead of upcoming trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi. Zelensky claimed Moscow was using the talks as a cover to attack Ukraine's critical infrastructure. Temperatures in Ukraine have plummeted, and parts of the nation have received their first snowfall of the season. The Ukrainian President lamented that the capital was grappling with power, water, and heating disruptions, with homes, the North Bridge, and a kindergarten sustaining damage.

In the Kyiv region, strikes targeted substations that connect the Rivne and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants to Kyiv and central Ukraine. Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko confirmed that the city's water supply system was back to normal, with around 60% of apartment buildings connected to the heating system. Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal reported power cuts in five regions, although the exact number of affected homes was not disclosed.

Zelensky further stated that additional substations were hit in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Kharkiv, and Dnipro regions.

The latest strikes come after US First Lady Melania Trump hosted delegations from both Ukraine and Russia at the White House, urging for a more enduring ceasefire following a temporary truce in the southern region of Kherson. Trump thanked both Zelensky and Russian President Vladimir Putin, refraining from discussing the origins of the conflict, which originated from Putin's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, resulting in numerous civilian casualties and the displacement of millions.

In a significant development, hundreds of residents in the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky managed to evacuate during a six-day ceasefire brokered by Trump, who credited his efforts for saving lives. Meanwhile, a recent strike on an aid center near Zaporizhzhia resulted in the death of at least 55 individuals as rescue teams continue to sift through the rubble.

Zelensky reiterated Ukraine's need for increased bilateral support from the United States, calling for unity between both parties on security, aid for Ukraine, condemnation of Russian aggression, and intensified sanctions against Putin.