Volodymyr Zelensky Condemns Russia’s Winter Strikes on Power Grid, Says ‘No Military Rationale’ as Hundreds of Thousands Lose Heat

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized Russia’s latest attacks on Ukraine’s electricity, heating and water facilities, saying the strikes have left hundreds of thousands of people in the country’s southeast without power and warmth.

Calling the assaults unjustified, Zelensky said there was “no military justification” for targeting energy infrastructure and depriving civilians of electricity and heating during winter. He also stressed that diplomatic efforts to end the war should not disrupt the continued supply of air defence systems and military equipment to Ukraine.

Russian Strikes Cripple Power in South-East Ukraine

Russian strikes late Wednesday knocked out electricity supply across much of south-eastern Ukraine, according to the energy ministry. In a statement on Telegram, the ministry said the Dnipropetrovsk and Zaporizhzhia regions were left almost entirely without power. 

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko warned that the situation could worsen, with snowfall expected and overnight temperatures forecast to drop to minus 20°C, further straining power and heating systems.

Russian Strikes Hit Key Odesa Ports Amid Freezing Temperatures

Separately, Russia targeted two seaports in Ukraine’s Odesa region, killing one person and wounding eight others, officials said. Ukraine’s seaport authority identified the ports as Chornomorsk and Pivdennyi, both crucial to the country’s export-driven economy. Condemning the strikes, Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba said the attacks were another blow to port infrastructure vital for maintaining global food security.

Zelensky Says Europe Yet to Give Clear Defence Assurance to Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he has yet to receive a definitive response from European allies on how Ukraine would be protected if Russia were to launch another attack after a peace agreement. 

While European leaders and US representatives announced on Tuesday that they had agreed on key security assurances for Kyiv, including the deployment of a European multinational force in the event of a ceasefire, Zelenskyy said clarity was still lacking. Speaking on Wednesday, he said he had not been given a “clear” or “unequivocal” answer on whether European allies would come to Ukraine’s defence in the case of a renewed Russian invasion.

(Inputs from Reuters)