Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Ukrainians to expect another brutal week of cold and darkness ahead, predicting more Russian attacks on infrastructure which would not stop until Moscow runs out of missiles.
Russia has been launching massive missile bombardments on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure roughly weekly since early October, with each attack having greater impact than the last as damage accumulates and winter sets in.
The warning on Sunday came as snow fell in Kyiv and temperatures hovered around freezing with fog forecast overnight.
City authorities said workers were close to completing the restoration of power, water and heat, but high consumption levels meant some blackouts had been imposed. Millions in and around Kyiv were coping with disruptions caused by waves of Russian air raids.
“We understand that the terrorists are planning new strikes. We know this for a fact,” Zelensky said in his night video address. “And as long as they have missiles, they unfortunately, will not calm down.”
Kyiv says the attacks, which Russia acknowledges target Ukrainian infrastructure, are intended to harm civilians, making them a war crime. Moscow denies its intent is to hurt civilians but said last week their suffering will not end unless Ukraine Yields to Russia’s demands, without spelling them out.
Zelensky said the coming week could be as difficult as the previous week when attacks on electricity infrastructure subjected Ukrainians to the most acute power cuts since Russian troops invaded in February.
“Our defence forces are getting ready. The entire country is getting ready,” he said. “We have worked out all the scenarios, including with our partners.”
There was no immediate response to from Moscow to Zelensky’s claims.
The Ukraine presidency said on Monday that Russian strikes had left four people dead in frontline regions a day earlier.
Source: The Moscow Times, Reuters, News24, image from Twitter: @nzherald
