Emergency power outages began in Kiev this morning, the local branch of the Ukrainian energy holding company DTEK reported.
The schedules for stabilization shutdowns are invalid, the company advised on its website.
Emergency power outages also occurred in the Ukrainian capital yesterday.
Kiev was attacked this morning with drones, the military administration of Kiev said. Authorities have warned city residents that they should be prepared to take refuge in a safe place, France Press reported.
Local media reported that there was no electricity in several areas. Authorities said a critical infrastructure site was hit, without elaborating.
“The enemy is attacking the capital,” the administration wrote in Telegram.
According to the Associated Press, the Kiev administration has detected more than 20 drones over the city. At the same time, he claimed at least 15 downed drones. UNIAN writes about two explosions in the capital.
The city authorities have specified that the Russian forces are again using the Iranian Shahed drones for the attack on Kiev, as in recent weeks.
The administration first declared an air alert at 01:56 local time (23:56 GMT) and it lasted just over three hours. A second warning was issued at 05:24 (03:24 GMT) and canceled half an hour later. Citizens are advised to seek cover as soon as they hear sirens.
Kiev said it destroyed Russian ammunition depots and air defense system positions
The Ukrainian Air Force has destroyed at least two Russian ammunition dumps and air defense system positions during fighting in eastern Ukraine, the Ukrainian General Staff said, quoted by DPA.
During the operation, the Air Force carried out several missions, but the command did not clarify the exact location of the places in question.
Russia has suffered heavy losses in fierce fighting in the area of the city of Bakhmut in Donbass, where a Russian unit numbering 400 to 800 men was caught in a carefully prepared ambush and “knocked out”, Kiev said presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich.
Putin visits Belarus
Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting Belarus today, Reuters reported.
Putin’s visit has raised fears in Kiev that the Russian leader intends to pressure Minsk to join a new ground offensive against Ukraine.
Putin’s visit to Minsk is the first since 2019, with talks scheduled with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. The Russian president visited the Belarusian capital for the last time before the pandemic and the wave of protests in Belarus began in 2020, which Lukashenko ended with the help of the Kremlin.
“As part of these talks, further aggression against Ukraine and the broader involvement of the Belarusian Armed Forces in the operation against Ukraine will be discussed,” said Serhii Naev, Chief of Staff for Joint Operations of the Armed Forces of Belarus. Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The commander-in-chief of the Ukrainian forces, General Valery Zaluzhny, told the publication “Economist” last week that Russia is preparing a new army of 200,000 people for a major offensive that could begin in January or spring, Reuters recalls.
Russian soldiers will take part in tactical exercises in Belarus, the Interfax news agency said, citing the Russian defense ministry. The press release did not specify the place and time of the manoeuvres.
In October, Belarus announced it had formed a joint military group with Russia, under which several thousand Russian soldiers were stationed on Belarusian territory. This has raised fears that Belarusian forces may be drawn into the Ukrainian conflict.
Zelensky said that Ukraine is preparing for any defense scenario
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said securing Ukraine’s borders was a “consistent priority” and that his country was ready for all possible scenarios with Russia and its ally Belarus, Reuters reported.
“Protecting our border with both Russia and Belarus is our constant priority,” Zelensky said in his nightly video address. “We are preparing for all possible defense scenarios,” he added.
His comments come on the eve of a visit to Belarus by Russian President Vladimir Putin amid discussions of a possible new Moscow offensive and speculation it could come from Belarus, the agency noted.
In his speech, Zelensky made a fresh call for Western countries to provide Ukraine with effective air defense. He also said his forces were holding the city of Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine, where some of the fiercest fighting was taking place.
He also said that three million more Ukrainians had power restored following the latest Russian attacks on infrastructure, bringing the total number of citizens with power restored to nine million in the past two days.
“The electricity supply has been restored for another three million Ukrainians. Plus six million yesterday. This means that after Friday’s terrorist attacks we already have a result for more than nine million people,” the Ukrainian president indicated.
Russia fired multiple missiles at Ukraine’s energy grid on Friday, killing at least three people and damaging nine energy plants.
