Russian strikes damage Ukraine power network ahead of Abu Dhabi talks

Overnight drone and ballistic missile attacks damaged Ukrainian energy infrastructure, causing blackouts and disrupting water supplies, President Volodymyr Zelensky said.

Zelensky said 12 Ukrainian regions came under attack, with the capital Kyiv hit hardest. Nine people are reported to have been hurt across the country, including one child, in the wave of attacks that consisted of more than 30 ballistic missiles and over 170 drones.

The attacks come before Ukrainian and Russian delegations are due to take part in trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi next week. Zelensky wrote on Telegram that Moscow was preparing for the talks by launching attacks on Ukraine's "critical infrastructure".

Impact in Kyiv and other regions

Temperatures are dropping in Ukraine, and parts of the country have had the first winter snow.

"The situation in the capital is difficult, with disruptions to electricity, water, and heating supplies. Residential buildings, the North Bridge, and a kindergarten have been damaged," Zelensky said.

"In the Kyiv region, there were strikes on substations that connect the Rivne and Khmelnytsky nuclear power plants to Kyiv and central Ukraine."

Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the city's water supply system is back to operating normally. He also said around 60% of the city's apartment buildings were connected to the heating system.

The energy minister, Denys Shmyhal, said there were power cuts in five regions but did not say how many homes were affected.

Zelensky added that beyond Kyiv, substations were damaged in Vinnytsia, Zhytomyr, Rivne, Kharkiv and Dnipro regions.

Context

The latest attacks come after US First Lady Melania Trump hosted Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the White House on Thursday. She called for a "more enduring" ceasefire in Ukraine following a truce last week in the southern region of Kherson.

Hundreds of residents of the Russian-occupied Ukrainian town of Oleshky facing starvation and constant bombardment were able to evacuate during a six-day ceasefire, which both Moscow and Kyiv credited Trump with brokering.

"The lives of innocent people must transcend the division of war. I hope Oleshky inspires greater peace," she said.

Earlier this week, a number of people were killed when glide bombs hit an aid centre near Zaporizhihia, with the death toll rising to 55 as teams search deeper into the ruins.

Zelensky added in his Telegram post on Saturday following the latest attacks that Ukraine was counting on increased bilateral support from the United States.

He wrote: "We are counting on unity between both parties on issues of security, support for Ukraine, condemnation of Russian aggression, and increased sanctions pressure on Putin."

"The resolve and consistency of the United States in supporting Ukraine are of great importance in bringing peace closer."

Meanwhile, Zelenksy's spokesperson would not be drawn on reports that the Ukrainian president is to be invited to the UK for a state visit next year.

Why it matters

The strikes damaged energy infrastructure as winter temperatures drop, disrupting electricity, water and heating supplies in Kyiv and other regions. The attacks occurred ahead of scheduled trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, raising questions about the conditions under which the delegations will meet.

---

Sources

• bbc.com: Ukraine's power network suffers further damage after fresh Russian strikes
• yahoo.com: Ukraine's power network suffers further damage after fresh Russian strikes

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.