Russia’s recent strikes have plunged Ukraine into darkness, impacting electricity for hundreds of thousands and resulting in civilian injuries. (Pic Credit: Reuters & ANI)
Russian strikes across nine regions of Ukraine disrupted electricity supplies to hundreds of thousands of households and injured at least 15 people, officials said on Friday. The attacks came as a new report revealed a sharp rise in civilian casualties since Russia launched its invasion. The latest wave of aerial attacks on civilian infrastructure has heightened concerns that worsening relations between Kyiv and Washington could leave Ukraine more vulnerable to Russia’s intensifying assault as winter approaches. Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s power infrastructure ahead of winter, seeking to weaken public morale by disrupting heating and water supplies. Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow is stockpiling ballistic missiles for further attacks in the coming months. The leaders pledged continued support for Ukraine and called on Washington to increase pressure on Russian president Vladimir Putin. Relations between Trump and Zelenskyy came under renewed scrutiny after the two leaders exchanged sharp public remarks, fuelling uncertainty in Ukraine and across Europe.
On Thursday, Ukraine ended a short-lived truce covering energy infrastructure, saying Moscow had failed to honour the arrangement despite US President Donald Trump’s call for a ceasefire, according to AP. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy attended a summit of European union leaders in Brussels on Friday, where he received applause from leaders who share his concerns over Russian aggression and Moscow’s broader ambitions in Europe.
The European Union is working to persuade Washington to maintain its backing for Ukraine, the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, said. “We are trying to convince also our American partners that if we want to end this war, then we have to squeeze the aggressor,” Kallas said. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, whose country currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency, said there was widespread concern across Europe over the latest developments in Ukraine.
“With our American allies it’s very difficult at the moment.
However, he added that higher speeds needed to intercept Russian jet-powered drones travelling at more than 400 kph (250 mph) were being restored.
Speaking ahead of the EU summit, Zelenskyy thanked the 27-member bloc for standing by Ukraine, describing its leaders as “real leaders”. “We want to end this war as (quickly) as possible,” Zelenskyy told reporters in English. Speaking in Brussels, he said Ukraine had received limited numbers of patriot interceptors in recent months. Restrictions that reduced the speed of Ukrainian drone interceptors to 70 kph (43 mph) came as a “dangerous and unpleasant surprise”, he said. Yes,” Zelenskyy told a news conference. “There are so many people with good hearts in America, who sincerely want evil to lose and Ukraine to stand strong,” Zelenskyy told the EU summit. “And at the end of the day, the American people will have their say.”
Trump, meanwhile, openly criticised the Ukrainian leader during an interview with Newsmax, saying, “Zelenskyy is not a good guy for us to deal with. “We don’t see now signals from (the) Russian side that they are ready for this, to end this war. That’s why we have to prepare for the winter. The growing rift has raised fears that Washington could further reduce its support for Ukraine’s war effort. Ukraine continues to face a severe shortage of US-made Patriot air defence missiles, which are essential for intercepting Russia’s destructive ballistic missile attacks. Zelenskyy has repeatedly urged Washington to supply additional systems and ammunition. Some were purchased from the United States by European countries for Kyiv, while others came from the existing stockpiles of countries around the world. Zelenskyy also expressed concern over disruptions to Western intelligence-sharing arrangements and sudden speed restrictions affecting Starshield, the military-grade version of spaceX’s starlink satellite internet service. The technology plays a crucial role in Ukraine’s drone operations and military communications. “Have they returned to previous speed limits? No. But is it coming back? He also criticised Trump’s diesel deal with Russia, despite international efforts to impose sanctions and isolate Moscow diplomatically over its invasion of Ukraine. Ukrainian officials have accused him of pressuring Kyiv to surrender territory to Russia Although Trump had promised to end the war swiftly.
On Thursday, Zelenskyy said he felt betrayed by the American president.
Zelenskyy told European leaders that the war would cost Ukraine 155 billion euros ($174 billion) next year. He said the country would require at least 70 billion euros ($79 billion) in assistance from Europe. At least 328 civilians were killed and 2,105 injured in September, representing an 85% increase in casualties compared with the same month last year, the report said. Russia’s defence ministry said on Friday that its air defence systems had intercepted 644 Ukrainian drones overnight across several Russian regions, the illegally annexed Crimean Peninsula and the Black sea. The overnight restrictions imposed on aviation operations delayed more than 200 flights departing from four Moscow airports, Russian news agency interfax reported. St Petersburg airport also experienced disruptions, with local media reporting that another 46 flights were delayed or cancelled.
“The first two weeks of October were among the deadliest periods for civilians in years,” said Danielle Bell, head of the UN office. Russian attacks have increasingly targeted civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, public transport networks, cargo vessels, data centres and grocery stores, alongside the country’s electricity grid. It added that Russian attacks during October had already killed dozens more civilians, including children. Ukraine has also continued its campaign against Russia using domestically developed long-range drones. You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.
The United nations human rights office in Kyiv said Ukrainian civilians were bearing a growing toll from the intensifying attacks in a monthly report released on Friday.