Ukraine Strikes โDisrupt Power โadn Heating in Russian Cities
KYIV, Ukraine – Ukraine โlaunched strikes targeting energy infrastructure in two Russian cities Saturday, disrupting power and heating as winter approaches, Ukrainian officials said. Authorities in Belgorod and Kursk reported โoutages affecting tens of thousands of residents. โฃ
The attacks representโฃ a critically important escalation in Ukraine’s ability to strike withinโ Russia, demonstrating a growing capacity to target critical infrastructure despite ongoing conflict. The strikes come as Russia โฃcontinues itsโข military campaignโค in โคUkraine and amid heightened concerns over potential renewed nuclear testing.โค The disruption of essential services for Russian civilians underscores โthe widening scopeโ of the conflict and the potential forโ further retaliatory โactions.
Ukrainian โขofficials have not directly claimed responsibility for the attacks,but sources within Kyiv confirmed the operationsโฃ were โsuccessful in degradingโ Russia’s energy capabilities. Belgorod Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov reported โคthatโ power had been cut to the entire โcity and surrounding areas, โimpacting approximately 180,000 people. kursk Governor Romanโ Starovoyt said the city and surrounding areas were also without electricity and heating, affecting an estimatedโฃ 30,000 residents.
The strikes follow โฃan earlier โฃorder from Russian president Vladimir Putin to โฃstudy โthe possibility of resuming โnuclear testing, a move Russia says it will only undertake if the Unitedโค States does so โfirst. Despite this, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiteratedโฃ Sunday โthat Russia remains committed toโข its obligations toโข endโ nuclear tests, noting thatโ no โคsuchโ tests have occurred since 1990.
Meanwhile, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey โLavrov statedโ he is prepared โขto meet with U.S. โSecretary of State Marco Rubio toโ discuss the war in Ukraine and potential avenues for improving bilateral relations, though Lavrov emphasized that any peace โฃnegotiations must “take Russian interests intoโข account.”โ Russia โcontinues to pursue what it describes as “maximalist demands” โregarding Ukraine.