Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Russia of trying to plunge Kyiv and the entire country into a blackout following a major overnight attack on the capital’s energy infrastructure and a bridge over the Dnipro River. The Ukrainian president stated that Moscow’s preparations for upcoming peace talks involved attacking a city of millions with ballistic missiles.
Peace Talks and US Support
Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the US are scheduled to meet on Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, for discussions aimed at ending the war. Zelenskyy appealed to the US Congress to pay more attention to Ukraine amidst relentless Russian bombardment, stating that the country must not be left alone and relies on increased bilateral support.
Scepticism remains high regarding US-backed peace talks, with Ukrainian officials having little confidence they will yield concrete results. In an interview with CNN, Zelenskyy described a recent blueprint set out by Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as Yalta 2.0, referencing the 1945 summit that divided postwar Europe.
Kushner stated on social media that the discussions would include a new security framework for Europe alongside guarantees for Ukraine, which appears to connect to the Kremlin’s longstanding demand to reverse NATO’s expansion. Donald Trump stated that a big beautiful agreement involving all of Europe could be close.
Zelenskyy warned that discussing European-Russian security infrastructure is dangerous and emphasized that Ukraine does not want to be divided by Russia. He maintained that Moscow must end its war first and provide meaningful security guarantees before any wider security architecture is considered. Western diplomats noted that agreeing to Russian demands would effectively end NATO.
Impact of the Strikes
Russia deployed 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles in the latest assault on Kyiv and surrounding regions. The strikes caused serious disruptions to electricity, water, and heat supplies, leaving five people injured, including a 14-year-old girl.
The attacks targeted substations across five regions, including one connecting two nuclear power plants to Kyiv. The city’s Northern Bridge was closed on Saturday for repairs to the road surface and power lines.
These strikes follow a difficult week for Kyiv residents marked by day-long power cuts and water interruptions. Ukrainian officials characterized the Kremlin’s strategy of attempting to freeze civilians into submission over the winter months as a war crime.
Russia’s defence ministry confirmed that its early Saturday strikes targeted energy and transport facilities. Moscow has significantly increased air attacks on Ukrainian cities since the summer as frontline progress has stalled, with Kyiv reporting that Russia lost 54,000 troops killed or injured last month, the highest monthly loss of the conflict.
