Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has strongly condemned Vladimir Putin for what he described as an unprecedented attack, surpassing any terrorist act in history, as more Russian strikes led to the shutdown of nuclear facilities.
Zelensky called on Russia to face the global repercussions of its actions, appealing to those who prioritize security, following additional assaults on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure that resulted in power outages amidst freezing temperatures. Weather forecasts predict temperatures could drop as low as -25C in the upcoming days.
According to Zelensky, Russia targeted critical facilities supporting Ukraine’s nuclear power plants, leading to a reduction in power generation and the forced shutdown of one plant on Friday night.
DTEK, Ukraine’s largest private energy company, stated that due to damages to high-voltage substations, the nuclear power plants had to be deactivated.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko warned residents of the city about the tough times ahead, with severe frosts expected, especially at night. He highlighted the ongoing emergency power outages across most regions of the country, with the Ministry of Energy reporting that residents in the capital are only receiving electricity for short periods.
Recent attacks in the Zaporizhzhia and Polohy districts resulted in 577 strikes on 30 settlements, leading to one fatality and eight injuries, as per Head of the Zaporizhzhia Regional Military Administration Ivan Fedorov.
In another incident, a 10-year-old boy was wounded during overnight attacks in the Dnipropetrovsk region, as reported by Head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Hanzha. Additionally, two individuals lost their lives in the Donetsk region on February 7.
President Zelensky disclosed that the US has set a deadline for Ukraine and Russia to reach a resolution to end the long-standing conflict by June. He warned that if the deadline is not met, the Trump administration is expected to apply pressure on both sides to comply.
Zelensky confirmed Ukraine’s participation in the proposed trilateral talks next week, likely to be held in Miami, marking a significant step towards resolving the conflict.
The latest deadline comes after unsuccessful trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi, where both parties maintained conflicting demands, with Russia insisting on Ukraine’s withdrawal from the Donbas region, a condition Kyiv refuses to accept.
Zelensky expressed doubts about a US proposal to create a free economic zone in the Donbas region, a territory coveted by Russia, citing differences in views on the proposal.
