This led to major power outages across the country. Kyiv reported on Tuesday evening that more than 1,100 places were without power. The attacks are part of a widening campaign designed to leave Ukraine cold and dark and make peace talks impossible. There is “no more room for negotiations” with the regime of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Zelenskyy added. “Ukraine is under fire from the occupiers. They continue to do what they do best – terrorize and kill civilians.”
Kyiv Mayor Vitaly Klitschko said there had been reports of explosions in the north-east of the city following a “critical infrastructure facility” was hit. There were three hits at the facility on the left bank of the Dnipro River, said Deputy Head of Ukraine’s Presidential Office Kyrylo Tymoshenko.
“Situation is critical”
According to Klitschko, at least three people were killed in the attack on an energy storage facility in Kyiv. According to a report by the Ukrainian public prosecutor’s office, “munitions of war prohibited under international law” were used.
In Zhytomyr in the north, the entire city lost power following attacks. “There is currently neither light nor water in the city,” Mayor Serhiy Sukhomlyn wrote on Facebook. The hospitals have switched to emergency power supply. In Kyiv there were also interruptions in electricity and water supplies. According to the operator, 50,000 people in the capital alone were without electricity.
“The situation is now critical across the country because our regions depend on each other,” Tymoshenko said. The whole of Ukraine must now prepare as well as possible for failures in the power and water supply as well as heating. Even far away from the fronts, basic supplies are no longer guaranteed. The daily attacks reach far inland, damaging vital facilities — sometimes faster than they can be repaired.
Russia confirms attacks on infrastructure
Russia confirmed attacks, the targets were once more military infrastructure and energy systems. Russia had already attacked important infrastructure in three Ukrainian regions on Monday. According to the Ukrainian government, the power went out in hundreds of towns and villages.
In the past week alone, more than 100 Iranian-made self-destructing drones have hit power plants, sewage treatment plants, residential buildings, bridges and other targets in urban areas, according to Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry. According to Ukrainian sources, the Russian army also used Iranian kamikaze drones in the attacks on Monday.
Moscow denied the use of Iranian drones. Observers also see the increased use of combat drones as an attempt to prevent the Ukrainian army, which is busy with air defense, from further advances. Zelenskyj was convinced that Russia is using the drones because it is losing ground in the war.
NATO: Ukraine gets drone defenses within days
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance would deliver anti-drone systems to Ukraine “in the coming days”. This should help the country defend itself once morest Iranian-made drones. At the same time, Ukraine asked Israel for military assistance and the immediate delivery of anti-aircraft systems.
