Ukraine on Friday (November 18) said that almost half of its power grid needed repairs after weeks of battering caused due to Russian attacks. Electricity supply to millions has been disrupted just when temperatures have started dropping as winter approaches. Russia meanwhile accused Kyiv’s forces of executing a group of its soldiers who were surrendering to Ukraine in what Moscow described as a “massacre” that amounted to a war crime.
Russia has carried out sustained attacks on Ukraine’s power infrastructure.
“On November 15 alone, Russia fired about 100 missiles at Ukrainian cities. Nearly half of our energy system has been disabled,” said Ukraine Prime Minister Denys Shmygal, appealing to European allies for support.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told the nation on Thursday that some 10 million people were suffering blackouts as a result.
Russia however, has denied attacking civilian power infrastructure and said that it has attacked only military-linked facilities. It further said that a series of long-range and precision strikes the day before had “hit exactly the designated objects”.
And the Kremlin this week blamed the blackouts and their civilian impact on Kyiv’s refusal to negotiate with Moscow, not on Russian missile attacks.
Ukraine’s description of the damage to its power industry came after Russia said Friday it was strengthening positions in Crimea, which Kyiv’s forces are battling towards.
(With inputs from agencies)
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