Russia is dragging out the war, says Zelenskyy as strikes cut power to hundreds of thousands

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Sunday said Russia continues to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure, leaving hundreds of thousands of families without electricity, heating, and water, even as Kyiv prepares for critical diplomatic engagements with the United States and European partners aimed at ending the war.

In a series of social media posts, Zelenskyy said Ukrainian emergency and utility services have been working around the clock since Friday to restore essential services following fresh Russian attacks. He described the situation as "difficult," noting that residents in several regions remain without basic amenities.

"Hundreds of thousands of families are still without electricity in Mykolaiv, Odesa, Kherson, Chernihiv, Donetsk, Sumy, and Dnipro regions," Zelenskyy said, expressing gratitude to energy workers and first responders involved in repair efforts. He added that overnight strikes wounded civilians, underscoring the continued toll on the population.

According to Zelenskyy, Russia launched an intense wave of attacks over the past week. "In total, the Russians launched more than 1,500 attack drones, nearly 900 guided aerial bombs, and 46 missiles of various types against Ukraine this week. Just one week," he said, accusing Moscow of deliberately prolonging the war to inflict maximum harm.

Despite the sustained assaults, Zelenskyy reiterated Ukraine's commitment to pursuing peace through diplomacy. He said Kyiv is preparing for a series of high-level meetings with the United States and European countries in the coming days, with Berlin set to host several key discussions.

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov is expected to brief Zelenskyy and the negotiating team on recent contacts, while military and security officials will work on the details of security guarantees for Ukraine. Parallel talks are also continuing with Western partners on Ukraine's post-war recovery and long-term development. (ANI)

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