A barrage of Russian missile and drone strikes on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure left three people dead on Wednesday, forcing nationwide power restrictions. Ukrainian officials reported that two men in the city of Zaporizhzhia were killed in the overnight strikes, while a seven-year-old girl from the central Vinnytsia region also lost her life from injuries sustained in the attacks.
“Its goal is to plunge Ukraine into darkness. Ours is to preserve the light,” Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said on Telegram. “To stop the terror, we need more air defence systems, tougher sanctions, and maximum pressure on the aggressor.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy confirmed that Russia launched more than 700 missiles and drones overnight, with many being intercepted by Ukraine’s missile defense systems, but several managed to land. Ukraine’s air defence units shot down 31 missiles and 592 drones during the attacks.
In his latest visit to the White House, Zelensky failed to secure new tomahawk missiles in his latest visit to the White House a few weeks ago, despite previously signalling a willingness to help Ukraine regain territory lost to Russia. Reports emerged that Zelenskiy’s meeting with Trump descended into a ‘shouting match’, with the American leader demanding that Ukraine give away territory to Russia in exchange for a peace settlement.
Moscow’s latest strikes come amid renewed diplomatic maneuvering involving Washington, Beijing, and Kyiv. Zelenskyy has urged U.S. President Donald Trump to press China to end its material and political support for Moscow’s war effort, warning that Beijing’s purchases of Russian crude and other commodities have become a lifeline for the Kremlin.
During his Asia tour, Trump met Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea, where the two pledged to cooperate on Ukraine and agreed to roll back parts of their trade dispute. Trump said the meeting yielded understandings on tariffs and rare-earth mineral flows and that he and Xi would “work together on Ukraine.”
Chinese officials have yet to release their own account of the talks. The outcome leaves open whether Beijing will moderate its energy trade with Russia, which remains crucial to financing Moscow’s campaign against Ukraine.
By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com
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