Russia’s attack on Kyiv’s electricity infrastructure could leave large parts of the city of 3 million people unable to heat homes and businesses this winter, the city’s mayor warned. much on Thursday.
Mayor Vitali Klitschko, speaking at a security conference, said that if areas of Kyiv do not have heat or water for 24 hours at sub-freezing temperatures, heating systems should be turned off.
“This means until the spring, it will be very difficult,” said Klitschko. “In a very short time, the temperature inside the homes may not be different from outside.”
Blackout is a way of life in the city. Klitschko urged residents to be prepared for worst-case scenarios, saying they could spend time with family and friends in the heat if winter doesn’t last in Kyiv.
Ukraine’s Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov told Kyiv residents “the months ahead are waiting,” but also expressed hope for a respite from the onslaught as he said, “The signs are gathering (Russia) wants to rest at all costs.” It is believed that the supply of Moscow machines is decreasing.
Other developments:
►The European Union is about to set a $60 per barrel cap on Russian oil, a political and economic move to keep supplies on world markets and reduce the pressure on Kremlin to pay for the war.
►About one-third of the southern city of Kherson, which was retaken by the Ukrainians nearly three weeks ago, was still under control Thursday after continued Russian shelling. Authorities have recently restored electricity.
►Russia announced a round of nuclear arms control talks with the United States scheduled for this week because “it is impossible to talk about strategic stability these days without taking into account everything that happening in Ukraine,” said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
►Air raid warning sirens blanketed Ukraine on Thursday except for Crimea occupied by Russia, said Ukraine’s ICTV. Russia has been shelling many Ukrainian cities every day since the start of the war.
►The European Union has proposed establishing a UN-backed court to investigate Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine. The Kremlin said it would not accept the court’s authority.
Biden, Russia say they are open to peace talks
One day a Kremlin official opened the door to ending the war in Ukraine, President Joe Biden said he would like to meet with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin.
Neither side expressed hope for a summit of leaders or peace talks anytime soon, but it was a rare sign of mutual interest in finding a solution to the conflict that began with Russia’s invasion. on February 24th.
In a press conference Thursday in Washington where he and French President Emmanuel Macron attacked the war, Biden said he would talk to Putin “if he has decided that he is looking for a way to end the battle.”
“He hasn’t done it yet,” said Biden, who has always maintained that it will be up to Ukraine to decide whether the terms of the settlement will be accepted.
Earlier Thursday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters that Moscow was open to peace talks. Russia “has always said that we are ready to listen to those who are interested in a negotiated settlement,” he said.
Lavrov also accused the US and NATO of “direct involvement” in the conflict, but when asked if a meeting between Putin and Biden was possible, Lavrov replied “we will not avoid contacts,” and said, “We haven’t heard any great ideas.”
Ukraine says Russian troops are withdrawing from towns near largest nuclear power plant
Russian forces have begun to withdraw from the border areas of the Zaporizhzhia region, the Ukrainian military said in its daily report. Russian soldiers abandoned a police station and a school in the town of Mykhailivka and fled to the villages where they were stationed in Polohy and Inzhenerne – stealing property as they went, according to the report.
Ukrainian authorities said last week that Russia appeared to be preparing to withdraw from the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, Europe’s largest. The Kremlin denied the report.
The Russians continue to bombard the Dnieper River “from evening to morning” in Ukrainian cities in the Dnipropetrovsk region that are facing growth, regional governor Valentyn Reznichenko wrote in Thursday on Telegram.
US, NATO ‘directly involved’ in war with Russia, says Kremlin
The US and NATO are directly involved in the war in Ukraine, although a war between nuclear powers should not be considered because of the harm it will bring to the world, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia said. Sergei Lavrov on Thursday.
“We are concerned about the statements of the West that say and suspect that we are preparing some kind of provocation by using lethal weapons,” Lavrov said.
Lavrov pointed out that the United States, Great Britain, France, Germany and other nations are providing Ukraine with weapons – and the soldiers are training Ukraine to use those weapons. In doing so, Lavrov said that the West “is directly involved in the war, they are fighting against Russia and the hands of Ukraine.”
Lavrov blamed the West for Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s power plants, which have limited access to power for millions of Ukrainians during the winter. The West, Lavrov said, “will shoot Ukraine with deadly weapons to kill the Russians, so do not say that the United States and NATO will not participate in this war.”
According to Pentagon officials who told reporters this week, Russia’s weapons have no legitimate military purpose. Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov said on Monday that 97% of Russian missile attacks since the start of the war. organized for public purposes.
Pentagon officials: Russian attacks on civilians have no military purpose
Russia’s military has turned to “intimidating” missile and drone attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine as Russia’s military efforts weaken, Pentagon officials said this week. Russia’s attacks have no direct military purpose, increase the risk of a security incident at Ukraine’s nuclear plants and appear to be aimed at punishing Ukrainian citizens as winter approaches, which according to officials who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity.
Providing Ukraine with weapons to counter Russian airstrikes has become a top priority for the Pentagon, a senior official said. The Pentagon last week began releasing $400 million in weapons, including air defense systems. Ukrainian and Russian forces continue to fire thousands of rounds of artillery each day, the number varying as each side attacks and attacks, the official said.
Iran and North Korea continue to supply Russia with drones and ballistic missiles, officials said.
– Tom Vanden Brook
The suspected package was blown up at the US Embassy in Madrid
Police in Spain shot down a suspicious package found at the US Embassy in Madrid, Spanish officials said Thursday. A similar package delivered to the Ukrainian Embassy caught fire during its opening on Wednesday, injuring an employee. Police said several letter bombs had been sent to Spain over the past two days.
Spanish authorities have not been closely linked to the war in Ukraine, but one of the letters was sent to a company that manufactures military equipment, while others were sent by Spain to Ukraine.
The Russian Embassy in Madrid condemned the letter bombings, saying that “threats and terrorist attacks, especially those related to diplomatic missions, are absolutely unacceptable.”
The city of Ukraine receives energy, heat after a week in the cold
Power has been restored to the Ukrainian city of Ladyzhyn, nearly a week after a Russian missile strike severely damaged a thermal power plant. The attack left 18,000 people in the dark and cold as temperatures in the city plummeted to freezing. The Vinnytsia regional emergency department has declared a military emergency, and local authorities have provided generators, charging stations, boilers and blankets.
Work is ongoing to change the heating system, said Serhiy Borzov, head of the Vinnytsia Regional Military Administration.
“Winter frost or darkness and other manifestations of terror will not help the aggressor to win over the Ukrainians,” said Borzov.
The World Cup is very popular but difficult to see in Ukraine
Football is the most popular sport in Ukraine; Archrival clubs Shakhtar Donetsk and Dynamo Kyiv are known throughout Europe. And the champion of the national football team of Ukraine, but it was a bad job to get to the World Cup that is being held in Qatar, did not reduce the desire to compete. But with power outages and patchy Internet service, watching the biggest soccer show is difficult.
“I have to stay. I know who this (happened),” said Hlib Kuian, a 21-year-old university economics student. “I know the Russian Federation wants me to stay like this.” .”
Credit: The Associated Press
