Russia attacks Ukraine’s power grid amid record cold ahead of peace talks – National
Russia attacked Ukraine overnight in what President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Tuesday was a broken commitment to freeze energy infrastructure as the countries prepare for more talks to end Moscow’s four-year-old all-out offensive.
The bombing included hundreds of drones and a record 32 missiles, injuring at least 10 people. It targeted the power grid, Zelenskyy said, as part of what Ukraine says is Moscow’s ongoing campaign to deny residents electricity, heating and running water during the coldest winter in years.
“Taking advantage of the coldest winter days to scare people is more important for Russia than negotiations,” Zelenskyy said.
Temperatures in Kyiv dropped to 20 degrees Celsius (minus 4 Fahrenheit) overnight and stood at minus 16 C (minus 3 F) on Tuesday.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv to show support. He said the overnight strikes cast doubt on Moscow’s intentions on the eve of the talks, which he called “a really bad sign.”
He added that it was clear that the attack only strengthened the determination of the Ukrainian people.
Officials described recent talks between the Moscow and Kyiv delegations as constructive. But after a year of efforts, the Trump administration is still seeking progress on key issues such as who gets to keep Ukrainian land seized by Russian forces, and a full resolution seems far off. The talks in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, are scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine is ready to discuss how to end the war. “But no one will surrender,” he said.
Controversy over attacks on the power grid
A Kremlin official last week said Russia had agreed to suspend strikes in Kyiv for a week until February 1 because of the freezing cold, following a personal request from US President Donald Trump to Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, the freezing cold continues and so do the Russian airstrikes.
Zelenskyy, however, accused Russia of breaking its commitment to stop attacks on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, saying the week-long moratorium was supposed to go into effect last Friday.
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“We believe that this Russian strike clearly violates what was discussed on the American side, and there must be consequences,” he said.
The bombing of at least five Ukrainian regions included 450 long-range aircraft and 70 missiles, Ukrainian officials said.
Russian officials did not immediately respond to Zelenskyy’s comments.
Ukraine says that Russia has tried to dampen Ukrainian enthusiasm for the war by creating hardship for people living in dark and cold houses.
It tried to destroy Ukraine’s electricity network, targeting substations, transformers, turbines and generators in power plants.
Ukraine’s largest power company, DTEK, said overnight attacks hit its thermal power plants for the ninth time since October.
Rutte addressed the Ukrainian parliament during his visit and said that the countries in the military alliance are “ready to provide immediate and continuous support” as peace efforts continue.
Since last summer, NATO members have provided 75% of all missiles, and 90% of those used for air defense in Ukraine, under a financial arrangement where the alliance countries buy American weapons to give to Ukraine, he said.
European countries, fearing Moscow’s ambitions, see their future security as on the line in Ukraine.
“Be sure that NATO stands with Ukraine and is ready to do so for years to come,” Rutte said. “Your security is our security, your peace is our peace, and it must remain so.”
Houses in Kyiv were left without power
In Kyiv, officials said five people were injured in strikes that destroyed and burned residential buildings, a kindergarten and a gas station in various parts of the capital, according to the State Emergency Service.
Early in the morning, 1,170 apartments in the capital were without heat, said Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko. That set back maintenance work that had restored heat to all 80 apartment buildings before the attack, he said.
Russia also attacked the northeastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, where casualties were reported, and the southern region of Odesa.
The attack also damaged the Hall of Fame at the National Museum of the History of Ukraine during the Second World War, in Kyiv, said Ukrainian Culture Minister Tetiana Berezhna.
“It’s a metaphor and a criticism at the same time: The abusive regime hits the memory lane about the fight against violence in the 20th century, repeating the crime in the 21st,” said Berezhna.
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