Russia carried out an all-out missile and drone strike against Ukraine’s power infrastructure and other critical infrastructure as the country prepared to engage in fresh talks in Geneva on Tuesday, Ukrainian officials said.
The strike, carried out overnight, affected at least 12 regions of the war-torn nation. It also left nine people wounded, including children. The strike also damaged homes and railway infrastructure, the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
In the Odesa region, at least two people were wounded, and tens of thousands of residents lost access to heat and water as a result of damage to infrastructure. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said fires were reported in the area, and debris hit a residential high-rise.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said rescue operations were in place in various regions of the country as a result of a “deliberately calculated” strike aimed at causing maximum damage to the Ukrainian power infrastructure. He said nearly 400 drones and 29 missiles of various types, including ballistic missiles, were used in the strike. Although Ukrainian air defenses shot down most of the missiles, some did get through.
Zelenskyy said Odesa was left without heat and water for tens of thousands of residents. He also said more than 10 residential buildings and railway infrastructure were damaged as a result of the strike.
Russia had earlier demanded that Ukraine accept a peace treaty on its terms before the Geneva talks. However, Ukraine said the treaty must include security guarantees and consequences for Russia’s actions.
Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the international community must continue to support the nation with more air defenses and continue to exert pressure through sanctions to end the “ongoing aggression” by Russia. Zelenskyy said the diplomatic efforts of the nation would be more effective with “justice and strength” as he called for the international community to respond to the strike against Ukrainian infrastructure and civilians.
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