Russia strikes Ukraine power grid, gains ground in east

Olena Harmash | February 11, 2023

Russian missiles have hit power facilities across Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy returned from a tour of Western capitals and Ukrainian officials said a long-awaited Russian offensive was under way in the east.

Ukraine’s armed forces said in an evening update Russian forces had fired more than 100 missiles throughout the country and staged 12 air and 20 shelling attacks. 

The Facebook post said 61 cruise missiles were destroyed.

Energy Minister German Galushchenko said Russia had hit power facilities in six regions with missiles and drones, causing blackouts across most of Ukraine.

In Washington, the White House said President Joe Biden would travel to Poland from February 20 to 22 to show support for Kyiv ahead of the first anniversary of Russia’s invasion on February 24 and make clear additional security assistance and aid will be coming from the United States.

“The president will make it very clear that the United States will continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

International Monetary Fund staff will meet with Ukrainian officials in Warsaw next week, a source familiar with the plans said on Friday, as Ukraine presses for a multi-billion dollar borrowing program to cover its funding needs.

Global rating agency Moody’s on Friday downgraded Ukraine’s sovereign rating to Ca as it expects the war with Russia to create long-lasting challenges for the country. 

Moody’s website said the rating means debt obligations are “likely in, or very near, default”.

The latest Russian attacks came as Zelenskiy ended a tour of European allies where he was enthusiastically received but secured no public promises of the fighter jets he sought.

“London, Paris, Brussels – everywhere I spoke these past few days about how to strengthen our soldiers. There are very important understandings and we received good signals,” he said in his nightly video address.

“This concerns long-range missiles and tanks and the next level of our co-operation – fighter aircraft.”

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said 10 Russian missiles had been shot down over the capital after sirens blared during the morning rush hour.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said Ukraine was without 44 per cent of nuclear generation and 75 per cent of thermal power capacity.

“This is a deliberate targeting of infrastructure that keeps Ukrainians alive in winter,” US State Department deputy spokesman Vedant Patel said. 

Russia denies targeting civilians and says it targets Kyiv’s war effort.

Ukraine has been bracing for a new Russian offensive, believing that after months of reverses, President Vladimir Putin wants to tout a battlefield success before the anniversary of his February 24 invasion. 

Ukrainian governors in the eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk said that thrust had begun.

Putin will give his delayed annual showcase address to parliament on February 21, the date last year when he recognised as independent the parts of Donetsk and Luhansk that were controlled by Russian-backed separatists, a prelude to invading.

Moscow’s main recent focus has been Bakhmut, a small city from which most of the pre-war population of about 70,000 has fled, and the Ukrainian military said it and surrounding areas had come under fresh tank, mortar and artillery fire.

After months of static artillery battles both sides call the “meat grinder”, Russian forces have begun to encircle the city. 

Their troops include the Wagner private army that has recruited tens of thousands of convicts with a promise of pardons.

Britain’s Defence Ministry said Wagner forces appeared to have advanced around the north of Bakhmut since Tuesday, threatening the main western access road to the city.

Britain also said Russian forces had made some advances near Vuhledar, a Ukrainian-held bastion between the southern and eastern fronts.

Reuters could not verify the battlefield reports.