KYIV/WASHINGTON (HRNW) – Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned on Sunday against more potential Russian attacks on energy infrastructure, while the mayor of Kyiv urged residents to consider preparing to leave temporarily if the capital lost water and power supplies.
In regular nightly remarks, Zelenskiy said Russia was “concentrating forces and means for a possible repetition of mass attacks on our infrastructure. First of all, energy.”
More than 4.5 million consumers were already without power, he added, amid concerns that support for Ukraine could waver as the war’s impact on energy and food prices persists into winter.
U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan, who travelled to Kyiv on Friday and pledged Washington’s “unwavering and unflinching” support for Ukraine, has held undisclosed talks with Russian officials designed to avoid further escalation, the Wall Street Journal said on Sunday.
News of those contacts followed a report that Washington was urging Kyiv to signal an openness to talks with Russia.
Presidential adviser Mykhailo Podolyak said earlier on Twitter that Ukraine would “stand” despite Russian attacks on its energy infrastructure, by marshalling air defence, protecting infrastructure and optimising consumption to do so.