‘Senseless barbarism’: Russia pummels Ukraine’s power and water sectors

Doubling down on its efforts to apply iciness as a weapon, Russia released its fiercest  assault in weeks Thursday, battering Ukrainian electricity and water infrastructure amid freezing temperatures.

The massive assault, defined via way of means of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba as “mindless barbarism,” featured a barrage of missiles and exploding drones. At least human beings have been killed close to the northeastern town of Kharkiv, and at the least seven have been wounded throughout the united states of america, in step with initial assessments.

Ukrainian navy leader Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi stated his forces shot down fifty four of sixty nine missiles focused on strength facilities, however 10 portions of vital infrastructure in 10 areas and 18 residential homes have been nevertheless damaged, government stated. About 90% of Lviv, a western town a ways from the the front lines, became left with out electricity, its mayor stated.

“Russia is attempting to deprive Ukrainians of mild earlier than the New Year,” Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal wrote in a Telegram post, including that emergency blackouts can be necessary “in a few areas.”

With Russian floor forces suffering to keep floor and advance, Moscow has attacked Ukrainian electricity and water substances nearly weekly in view that October, looking to weaken the united states of america’s remedy and pressure it to barter a agreement at the Kremlin’s terms.

Other developments:

►The U.K. will make a contribution nearly $2.eight billion in help to Ukraine in 2023, stated Defense Secretary Ben Wallace, who informed The Guardian his united states of america is likewise offering navy information to assist Ukraine enhance its air defenses and be triumphant at the floor.

►Two days after reaffirming Italy’s complete assist on a name with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni informed reporters: “I desire that eventually Russia realizes the great mistakess it’s miles making. Until then, we’ll protect Ukraine.”

Zelenskyy: Russia will ultimately pay for electricity outages, different misdeeds

In his nightly video cope with to the nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated maximum areas of Ukraine have been experiencing electricity outages due to the contemporary Russian assault, specifically Kyiv and the location round it, further to Lviv, Odesa, Kherson and different provinces.

He additionally mentioned the blackouts had now no longer stored his workplace or the cupboard of ministers from pleasurable their duties.

“We are operating to make sure that our defenders have greater opportunities, greater guns, greater drones,” Zelenskyy stated.

He vowed that Ukrainians might power away the invaders and that Russia might ultimately be punished in courtroom docket for all of the distress it has imposed on its neighbor.

“Each missile simplest confirms that every one this should quit with a tribunal,” Zelenskyy stated. “And this is precisely what’s going to happen.”

Ukrainian missile lands in Belarus, drawing ‘robust protest’

Belarus’ overseas ministry lodged a “robust protest” with Ukraine after one in every of its air protection missiles landed in Belarusian territory early Thursday, in all likelihood via way of means of accident.

The ministry later stated the missile became downed via way of means of the united states of america’s air defenses over the western Brest place and fell onto a field. There have been no reviews of casualties.

Belarus is a near best friend of Russia and became a staging floor for the Kremlin’s invasion on Feb. 24.

The incident bears a few similarities to every other current example of a inaccurate projectile crossing into every other united states of america. In mid-November, what regarded to be a Russian missile killed human beings while it landed in Poland, elevating fears the NATO-affiliated united states of america might also additionally had been attacked. After in addition study, Polish government stated the missile became in all likelihood fired via way of means of Ukrainian air defenses and ended up in Poland via way of means of accident.

Russia unveils new warships as Putin attempts to reinforce navy

Russian President Vladimir Putin oversaw the commissioning of latest warships Thursday as a part of his plan to reinforce the united states of america’s navy, which in April sustained the embarrassing lack of the Moskva missile cruiser. The new vessels covered a corvette, a minesweeper and the nuclear submarine Generalissimus Suvorov.

“We will accelerate and growth the volumes of creation of ships of numerous projects, equip them with the maximum contemporary-day guns and behavior the operational and fight education the usage of the revel in acquired for the duration of the unique navy operation,” Putin stated, using his favored time period for Russia’s 10-month-vintage strugglefare in Ukraine.

The Moskva, named after the Russian capital and the flagship of the united states of america’s Black Sea fleet, became sunk via way of means of what Ukraine stated have been its anti-deliver missiles. The Kremlin claimed that a hearthplace that ignited munitions became the cause the deliver went down.