On Tuesday, 100 Russian missiles rained down on Ukraine. More than a dozen cities were attacked, ten million people were without electricity for a short time and, according to Ukrainian Interior Minister Denys Monastyrskyi (42), more than 30 infrastructure facilities were damaged.
According to Ukraine, it was the most massive attack since the start of the war. The attack on the Ukrainian capital damaged two civilian buildings and killed at least one person. Half of the population of Kiev was without electricity, in Lviv that was about 80 percent.
Russia justifies attacks
The Russian Defense Ministry has tried to justify the massive missile attack on Ukraine’s energy supply with its alleged military importance.
The target of the attack was “Ukraine’s military command system and associated energy systems,” spokesman Igor Konashenkov, 56, said in Moscow on Wednesday. The target of the attack had been achieved, he said.
“We Will Survive”
Ukrenergo, the Ukrainian network operator, warned on Wednesday about the aftermath of the attacks. There will be “heavy days” as the cold weather increases power consumption and thus the load on the power grid. After the Russian attacks, the network was so bad that further disruptions had to be expected.
In a video posted online, 44-year-old President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Ukrainians that more missile strikes were possible, but added: “We are working, we will fix everything, we will survive.” Giving up is not an option for Ukraine.
Russia wants to freeze Ukraine
The attacks followed days after a humiliating withdrawal of Russian troops from the southern city of Kherson and coincided with a Group of 20 summit in Bali, dominated by discussions over the war in Ukraine.
“Here’s what Russia has to say about peace talks,” Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, 41, wrote on Twitter. «Stop suggesting Ukraine accept Russian ultimatums! This terror can only be stopped with the strength of our weapons and principles.”
These attacks are reminiscent of Russia’s perfidious tactics: Ukraine must be frozen. Ukraine’s power supply has been the target of Russian attacks for weeks. According to “Sky News”, 50 percent of Ukraine’s energy infrastructure has already been destroyed – not enough for Kremlin chief Vladimir Putin (70).
Putin continues his “freeze” plan
In early November, Ukraine accused Russia of “energy terrorism” designed to plunge people into darkness, cold and fear. At the time, Russia was unimpressed by the Ukrainian accusation and announced that it would continue to attack Ukrainian infrastructure. Tuesday’s large-scale rocket attacks are now proof of that.
German Eastern Europe researcher Andreas Umland, 45, explained to “Bild” in October: “What we see is a strategy to achieve a peace dictated by Russia and avoid another winter war.” In this way, Putin wants to force the Ukrainian population “to let their own government give in”, according to the expert. Umland sums up Putin’s thoughts: “Either you give up the territories we annexed, or we bomb you to cold death.”
Chiara Schlenz
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
