Russia again launches a series of assaults on Ukraine.
In light of the ongoing Russian attacks, the Ukrainian Air Force reports having intercepted 35 missiles and 46 drones. DTEK, the energy supplier, has not divulged the locations of the damaged power plants but acknowledges that they've sustained serious damage. It's the sixth time such large-scale assaults have occurred on DTEK power plants since mid-March.
Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Haluschtschenko stated that energy facilities in Donetsk, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Zaporizhzhia, and Ivano-Frankivsk were attacked. The latter region is situated close to the borders of EU member states Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. Consequently, power outages are anticipated, according to Haluschtschenko.
Ukraine's President, Volodymyr Zelensky, has reinforced his demand for more assistance from Western allies in air defense. He remarked, "Russia aims to normalize terror and profit from the absence of air defense and the indecisiveness of Ukraine's partners."
The Russian Defense Ministry admitted to carrying out a series of strikes with long-range precision weapons on Saturday. These hits targeted energy facilities, which "aid enterprises in the military-industrial complex." The attacks were a "response to the Kiev regime's efforts to harm Russian energy and transportation infrastructure," the ministry stated.
Ukraine experiences nightly onslaughts from Russia. The country at war with Russia since February 2022 has been targeting infrastructure in Russia, primarily focusing on energy facilities.
Zelensky arrived in Singapore on Saturday for a scheduled visit to the Shangri-La Security Conference. He'll deliver a speech on Sunday at 11:30 a.m. local time (05:30 a.m. CEST) at this prominent security policy gathering in the Asian-Pacific region.
Zelensky had declared his intent to hold meetings with key players such as US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, the government of Singapore, and Southeast Asian investors.
He had recently traveled across multiple European nations to solicit extra military support from Ukraine's Western allies, also for a truce summit planned in Switzerland.
Zelensky mentioned on X that "the voice of the Asia-Pacific region" should be represented at the Swiss conference. The purpose of the conference is not merely to secure "a just peace for Ukraine" but also to ensure "global food and nuclear security."
In response to Ukraine's persistent plea, large European nations and the United States have finally consented to allowing Ukraine to utilize weapons given by them against targets in the Kharkiv region of Russia.
Earlier, US President Joe Biden had authorized Ukraine to deploy US weapons against Russian installations in the Kharkiv border area. French President Emmanuel Macron emphasized that Ukraine must possess the ability to "neutralize" support facilities used for offensive actions in Russia.
Some European nation, including Italy, remain opposed to using their own weapons on Russian territory. Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani cautioned against hasty actions and statements, considering the "delicate timing."
