Four Killed in Recent Russian Attacks Across Ukraine
POKROVSK, Ukraine – Russian forces have intensified attacks across eastern Ukraine, resulting in at least four civilian deaths and escalating concerns over key defensive lines, officials reported Saturday.The strikes come as Moscow claims to have encircled Ukrainian troops in multiple locations, including near the strategically crucial cities of Pokrovsk and Kupiansk.
The renewed offensive focuses on a heavily fortified stretch of Ukrainian defenses crucial to holding the region. Analysts suggest success for Russia in this area could considerably influence Western support for Ukraine and potentially shape future peace negotiations. the Russian Defense Ministry stated its troops had encircled Pokrovsk and the nearby town of Myrnohrad, and also surrounded Ukrainian defenders in Kupiansk, a vital railway hub in the Kharkiv region. These claims have not been independently verified, and Kyiv has not yet issued an official response.
Elsewhere,the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant,currently under Russian control,has regained connection to the power grid via a second transmission line,according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The plant had been operating on diesel backup generators for a month after its last external power line was severed on Sept. 23, with both Russia and Ukraine blaming each other for the damage. A single transmission line was restored on Oct. 23. While the plant is not currently in service, consistent power is essential for cooling its six shutdown reactors and spent fuel, preventing a potential nuclear incident. The facility has lost external power and relied on emergency diesel generators ten times as the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion.