Russia has carried out another round of attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid as the Kremlin expresses “extreme concern” over the United States potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to the country.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kyiv regional Governor Mykola Kalashnyk said two employees of Ukraine’s largest private energy company, DTEK, were wounded in Russian strikes on a substation in the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ukraine’s Energy Ministry said energy infrastructure was also attacked in the regions of Donetsk, Odesa and Chernihiv.<\/p>\n
“Russia continues its aerial terror against our cities and communities, intensifying strikes on our energy infrastructure,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X.<\/p>\n
He said Russia had launched “more than 3,100 drones, 92 missiles, and around 1,360 glide bombs” against Ukraine over the past week.<\/p>\n
Mr Zelenskyy also called for tighter secondary sanctions on buyers of Russian oil.<\/p>\n
“Sanctions, tariffs, and joint actions against the buyers of Russian oil \u2014 those who finance this war \u2014 must all remain on the table,” he wrote.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Russian drones have hit residential areas in Kyiv and caused widespread blackouts in recent days. (Reuters: Thomas Peter)<\/p>\n
The Ukrainian president spoke with US President Donald Trump twice over the weekend.<\/p>\n
On Saturday, local time, Mr Zelenskyy said he had a “very positive and productive” phone call with Mr Trump, in which he told the president about Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy system and opportunities to strengthen Ukraine’s air defence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
On Sunday, he posted that the pair had spoken again on “all the aspects of the situation: defence of life in our country, strengthening our capabilities \u2014 in air defence, resilience, and long-range capabilities”.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He also held a call with Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, local time, requesting the French president send further air defences to Ukraine.<\/p>\n
It follows revelations late last week that Mr Zelenskyy was in discussions with American officials about the possible provision of various long-range precision strike weapons, including Tomahawks and more ATACMS tactical ballistic missiles.<\/p>\n
Kremlin says Tomahawk missiles are ‘of extreme concern’<\/p>\n
Mr Trump, who has been frustrated in his efforts to end the war by Russian objections, said last week that he has “sort of made a decision” on whether to send Tomahawks to Ukraine, without elaborating.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A senior Ukrainian delegation is set to visit the US this week.<\/p>\n
On Sunday, Mr Zelenskyy told US news channel Fox News that Ukraine would not target Russian civilians if provided with Tomahawks.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in remarks published on Sunday that “the topic of Tomahawks is of extreme concern”.<\/p>\n
“Now is really a very dramatic moment in terms of the fact that tensions are escalating from all sides,” he told Russian state media.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov says Russia would object to Ukraine receiving American Tomahawk missiles. (Reuters: Maxim Shemetov)<\/p>\n
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, also said in comments released on Sunday that he doubts the US will provide Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles.<\/p>\n
“I think we need to calm down in this regard,” Mr Lukashenko said.<\/p>\n
“Our friend Donald \u2026 sometimes he takes a more forceful approach, and then, his tactic is to let go a little and step back. Therefore, we shouldn’t take this literally, as if it’s going to fly tomorrow,” he said in remarks published on Telegram on Sunday, local time.<\/p>\n
Ukrainian energy grid under fire<\/p>\n
Ukraine’s energy sector has been a key battleground since Russia launched its all-out invasion more than three years ago.<\/p>\n
The latest attacks on Ukraine’s energy grid came after Russian drone and missile strikes wounded at least 20 people in Kyiv, damaged residential buildings and caused blackouts across swaths of Ukraine on Friday.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ukrainian cities are experiencing power outages as Russia targets the country’s energy infrastructure. (Reuters: Thomas Peter)<\/p>\n
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yuliia Svyrydenko described the attacks as “one of the largest concentrated strikes” against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n
Each year, Russia has tried to cripple the Ukrainian power grid before the bitter winter season, apparently hoping to erode public morale.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Winter temperatures run from late October through March, with January and February the coldest months.<\/p>\n
Ukraine’s air force said on Saturday that its air defences intercepted or jammed 103 of 118 Russian drones launched against Ukraine overnight, while Russia’s defence ministry said it had shot down 32 Ukrainian drones over Russian territory.<\/p>\n
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