Kyiv Endures Power and Water Crisis as Russia Intensifies Energy Grid Assault Ahead of Peace Talks

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of attempting to plunge Kyiv and the entire country into darkness following a massive overnight strike on energy infrastructure in the capital and a bridge spanning the Dnipro River.

Zelenskyy stated that Moscow’s preparations for upcoming peace negotiations involved bombarding a city of millions with ballistic missiles. Negotiators from Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are scheduled to meet Tuesday and Wednesday in Abu Dhabi for talks aimed at ending the war.

The Ukrainian leader appealed to the U.S. Congress, now under Democratic control following the midterm elections, to increase attention and bilateral support for Ukraine amid relentless Russian bombardment. “Ukraine must not be left alone,” he emphasized.

Russia deployed 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles in its latest assault on Kyiv and surrounding regions. The strikes caused serious disruptions to electricity, water, and heating supplies, injuring five people, including a 14-year-old girl, according to Zelenskyy.

The attacks targeted substations in five regions, including one linking two nuclear power plants to the capital. Kyiv’s Northern Bridge, a critical transport artery, was closed Saturday as crews repaired damage to the road surface and power lines.

The strikes capped a harrowing week for Kyiv residents, who have endured day-long power outages and water supply interruptions. Ukrainian officials say the Kremlin’s objective is to freeze civilians into submission during the brutal winter months, which they characterize as a war crime.

Officials hold little confidence that U.S.-backed peace talks will produce concrete results. In a CNN interview, Zelenskyy dismissed a recent proposal outlined by Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, as “Yalta 2.0” — a reference to the 1945 summit that divided postwar Europe.

In social media posts, Kushner indicated discussions would include a new European security framework alongside guarantees for Ukraine, appearing to reference the Kremlin’s longstanding demand that NATO’s eastward expansion be reversed.

Speaking Friday, Trump suggested a “big beautiful agreement” could be near, involving “all of Europe.” Shortly before invading Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin demanded NATO revert to its pre-1997 posture, before the Baltic states and nations in Eastern Europe and the Balkans joined the alliance.

Ukraine and its European partners remain deeply skeptical. “The idea of discussing European-Russian security infrastructure is not simple, and it can be dangerous,” Zelenskyy told CNN, stressing: “We don’t want to be divided by Russia.”

Zelenskyy insisted Moscow must end its war first, with Ukraine receiving meaningful security guarantees. Only then, “depending on the answers,” could wider security architecture be considered. Western diplomats say acceding to Russia’s demands would effectively end NATO.

Russia’s defense ministry said Saturday’s early strikes targeted energy and transport infrastructure. Since summer, Moscow has dramatically escalated air attacks on Ukrainian cities as its frontline progress has stalled. Last month, Russia suffered 54,000 troops killed or injured, according to Kyiv — the highest monthly loss of the war.

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