聽Local residents charge their devices, use internet connection and warm up inside an invincibility centre after critical civil infrastructure was hit by Russian missile attacks in Kyiv, Ukraine November 24, 2022. REUTERS FILE PHOTO
LVIV/KYIV 鈥� Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday that Russia would surely launch new missile attacks on his country, and warned defense forces and citizens to be prepared to withstand a new week of strain on the power grid.
Snow fell in Kyiv and temperatures hovered around freezing on Sunday with fog forecast overnight.
City authorities said workers were close to completing restoration of power, water and heat, but high consumption levels meant some blackouts had been imposed. Millions in and around Kyiv were coping with disruptions caused by waves of Russian air strikes.
鈥淲e understand that the terrorists are planning new strikes. We know this for a fact,鈥� Zelensky said in his nightly video address. 鈥淎nd as long as they have missiles, they, unfortunately, will not calm down.鈥�
Zelensky said the coming week could be as difficult as the previous week, when attacks on electricity infrastructure subjected Ukrainians to the most acute power cuts since Russian troops invaded in February.
鈥淥ur defense forces are getting ready. The entire country is getting ready,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have worked out all the scenarios, including with our partners.鈥�
There was no immediate response from Moscow to Zelenskiy鈥檚 claims.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, Moscow has said it does not target the civilian population. The Kremlin said on Thursday that Kyiv could 鈥渆nd the suffering鈥� of its population by meeting Russia鈥檚 demands.
Russia annexed swaths of Ukraine鈥檚 east and south in September and President Vladimir Putin said Moscow鈥檚 territorial demands are non-negotiable. After the annexation Zelenskiy said he would not negotiate with Moscow and also insisted that Ukraine鈥檚 territorial integrity cannot be negotiated.
Sunday was relatively calm with no devastating attacks on Kyiv or other major cities. Ukraine鈥檚 central army command said Russian forces launched four missile attacks and fired multiple times on civilian objects in the Dnipropetrovsk region.
The situation, however, remained intense along front lines in various part of Ukraine, Zelenskiy said in his nightly address.
鈥淭he most difficult is in Donetsk region as has been the case in previous weeks,鈥� he said.
The General Staff of Ukraine鈥檚 Armed Forces said Russian troops had shelled a dozen villages in Donetsk, including the main targets of Bakhmut and Avdiivka.
Cold weather boosts demand for power
The cold weather is gradually boosting energy needs as repair workers race to fix wrecked power facilities, grid operator Ukrenergo said.
Electricity producers still cannot resume full power supply after Russia鈥檚 missile attacks on Wednesday and must conserve energy by imposing blackouts, it said.
鈥淭he consumption restriction regime is still in place due to a capacity deficit, which currently stands at around 20%,鈥� Ukrenergo said on Telegram.
Last week, Ukrenergo鈥檚 chief executive described damage on power generating facilities as 鈥渃olossal鈥�.
Moscow has targeted vital infrastructure in recent weeks through waves of air strikes that have sparked widespread power outages and killed civilians.
Fresh strikes last Wednesday caused the worst damage so far in the nine-month conflict, leaving millions of people with no light, water or heat, as temperatures fell below 0 Celsius (32 Fahrenheit).
Zelensky said utility and emergency teams were working around the clock to provide power, with the situation 鈥渦nder control鈥� though most regions were subject to scheduled blackouts to help restore the grid.
In Kherson, a city in southern Ukraine abandoned by Russian troops this month, regional governor Yaroslav Yanushevych said 17% of customers now had power. Other districts would be connected in coming days.
Zelensky has issued constant warnings to consumers to conserve power, as have utility officials.
Sergey Kovalenko, chief operating officer of YASNO, which provides energy to Kyiv, said on Saturday evening the situation in the city has improved but remained 鈥渜uite difficult.鈥�
Zelensky criticized Kyiv鈥檚 Mayor Vitali Klitschko, saying he had not done enough to help beleaguered residents. Klitschko, a former professional boxer, hit back at Zelensky, saying the criticism was out of place amid Russia鈥檚 military campaign.
鈥淭hat is senseless,鈥� Klitschko said.
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