Selenskyj evokes the spirit of resistance
Faced with cold and darkness in Ukrainian cities due to massive blackouts, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy invoked his people’s spirit of resistance against the Russian invasion. “We endured a full-blown war for nine months and Russia found no way to break us. And it won’t find anyone,” Zelenskyj said in his evening video address on Thursday. “We must continue as we are now, in unity and mutual aid.” Russia invaded the neighboring country on February 24.
The restoration of power and water supplies after Wednesday’s heavy rocket attack lasted throughout Thursday and Friday night. “Russia doesn’t just want the Ukrainians to be without electricity and heat,” Zelenskyy said in Kiev. “The terrorists want to isolate us from each other and make sure we don’t feel each other.” Russian shelling in the southern Ukraine town of Kherson killed 7 and injured about 20, regional authorities said. Friday marks the 275th day of Ukraine’s defense against invasion.
Technicians repair destroyed power grids 24 hours a day
While many Ukrainian households were still without electricity, water or heating, authorities reported progress in restoring supplies. The power grid is recovering from Wednesday’s blackout. The grid operator Ukrenerho announced on Thursday evening that half of the demand can be covered again.
Most combined heat and power plants and hydropower plants produced electricity again. The nuclear power plants that had been shut down in emergencies returned to the grid. According to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Russian-occupied Zaporizhia nuclear power plant was again supplied with electricity from outside and did not rely on diesel generators.
The situation in the capital Kiev remained tense. According to the utility company DTEK, only 30 percent of households there had electricity. The light can initially only be turned on for two or three hours.
“Tonight there are still water problems in 15 regions,” Zelensky said. The attacks on civilian targets are “the revenge of those who lost,” he said. “They don’t know how to fight. All they can do is terrorize. Whether it’s energy terrorism, artillery terrorism or missile terrorism – Russia has come to that under its current leadership.” Only the liberation of the entire country and security guarantees can permanently protect Ukrainians from Russia.
The liberated city of Kherson is shelled
The Ukrainian General Staff’s situation report on Thursday spoke of continued heavy fighting in eastern Ukraine’s Donbass. Russian troops continued to attempt a breakthrough at Bakhmut and at Avdiivka.
Zelenskyy said the city of Kherson, which was only recently liberated by Ukrainian forces, was shelled almost every hour. On Thursday, Russian troops fired artillery and multiple rocket launchers at the town in southern Ukraine, killing 7 people. About 20 people were injured, said regional governor Yaroslav Yanushchy. “Today is another terrible page in the history of our hero city.”
Under pressure from Ukrainian attacks, Russian troops evacuated Kherson and its bridgehead on the northwestern bank of the Dnipro in mid-November. However, the Russians occupied positions on the other bank of the river and deployed their artillery from there.
Zelenskyj: Liberation of Crimea remains war goal
Despite Western skepticism, Zelensky insists on the liberation of the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 as a target of war. “If someone shows us a way to end the occupation of Crimea by non-military means, I will be very supportive,” he told the British newspaper “Financial Times”. But if a proposal involved occupying Crimea and remaining part of Russia, “no one should waste their time on that”.
Western supporters of Ukraine assume that Ukraine will eventually be able to recapture the territories occupied by Russia since February 24 and the Donbass. But they are more cautious about Crimea: the peninsula is strategically and symbolically so important to Moscow that there is a risk of an escalation of the war.
Lukashenko rules out using his army against Ukraine
The authoritarian Belarusian head of state Alexander Lukashenko rules out the direct deployment of his army in Russia’s offensive war against Ukraine. “If we get involved in this conflict directly with the armed forces, with soldiers, we will not contribute anything, we will only make it worse,” Lukashenko said, according to a report from the Belta agency on Thursday. Belarus supports Russia, but its role is different.
Lukashenko has made his land dependent on Moscow available as a deployment area for Russian troops. Ukraine therefore regards the neighboring country as a combatant and is keeping troops in reserve in case it has to repel a direct attack from Belarus.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Moscow that Russia does not need a war economy to supply its armed forces in the conflict. He demanded that the arms industry supply the troops faster and with better products. However, this does not require extraordinary measures. “You just have to organize the work precisely, with high quality and well coordinated,” he told the Tass state agency.
That will be important on Friday
On Friday, Putin wants to meet the mothers of soldiers deployed or preparing to serve in Ukraine. The Kremlin announced that mothers of professional and temporary soldiers, volunteers and conscript reservists had been invited. After the partial mobilization, mothers in some regions complained that their sons were sent into battle ill-equipped. (sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
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.
