Russia's airstrikes on Ukraine's power infrastructure in the Dnipropetrovsk region have led to power outages for about 600,000 residents of the area. These attacks come as Ukraine prepares for trilateral negotiations with the United States and Russia in Abu Dhabi.
Efforts to Restore Power
According to Oleksandr Hryshchenko, the military commander of Dnipropetrovsk, power company employees are working to restore electricity to hospitals and residential areas. He added: "These efforts have faced challenges due to ongoing Russian bombardments." Meanwhile, public transportation in the city of Dnipro, recognized as a key center in eastern Ukraine, has been suspended.
Read more: Rumen Radev summoned the Russian ambassador after the attack on ships in the Black Sea
Continued Pressures and Attacks
Volodymyr Zelensky, the President of Ukraine, reported widespread power outages in the country, stating: "In the Zhytomyr region, 140 residential buildings remain without heating." Since the beginning of 2022, Russia has intensified its airstrikes on Ukraine's energy and civilian infrastructure, taking advantage of the cold weather conditions. Additionally, in recent attacks in the city of Kremenchuk, four people were injured and 15 were rescued from damaged buildings.
In the port city of Odesa, officials reported that Russia has used drones to target power distribution centers, leading to additional power outages in the region.
Abu Dhabi Talks and Expressions of Concern
The recent attacks occurred a day after Zelensky accused Russia of attempting to exert maximum pressure on Ukraine before the negotiations in Abu Dhabi. Donald Trump, the former President of the United States, believes that a big and beautiful deal may be close, potentially involving not only Ukraine but "all of Europe" as well. Meanwhile, Russia has referred to the security concerns and proposals of European countries as another obstacle to achieving a diplomatic agreement.
In the meantime, power has been restored to the Zaporizhzhia nuclear facility, which is under Russian occupation. Ukraine's state nuclear energy company (Energoatom) announced that the site is once again receiving electricity from Ukraine's power grid, but emphasized that the situation at the facility remains "very dangerous."
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