Russian forces targeted Ukrainian power infrastructure in a recent assault that resulted in the deaths of three energy workers and left a significant number of people without power and heat, authorities revealed on Tuesday. The attacks took place shortly before the commencement of trilateral peace talks supported by the U.S., involving Kyiv and Moscow in Geneva. The timing of these talks is close to the fourth anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, leading to extensive casualties, displacement, and destruction in Ukrainian territories.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy strongly criticized the strikes on 12 Ukrainian regions that took place just before the negotiations, labeling them as a deliberate attempt to inflict maximum damage on Ukraine’s energy sector. Amid ongoing hostilities, Russia has been consistently targeting Ukrainian energy facilities during the winter season, resulting in widespread power outages and disruption of heating services.
According to Ukraine’s deputy energy minister, the three energy workers lost their lives in an attack by a Russian drone on their vehicle near the Sloviansk power plant, situated in a contested front-line area that Moscow aims to acquire in exchange for peace negotiations. The power infrastructure serving the strategic Black Sea port city of Odesa sustained severe damage, as reported by private energy company DTEK, emphasizing that the repair work will be time-consuming to restore normal operations.
Furthermore, disruptions in power supply affected homes in five regions, leading to power cuts, with additional reports of heating supply interruptions in Odesa and Sumy, a regional capital near the Russian border. Ukraine’s air force disclosed that Russia deployed nearly 400 drones and 29 missiles in the recent attacks, resulting in some hits on Ukrainian targets despite most of them being intercepted.
Simultaneously, Ukrainian military forces announced an airstrike on the Ilsky oil refinery in Russia’s Krasnodar region, describing it as one of the significant oil facilities in southern Russia that ignited a fire upon impact.
In another development, negotiators from Ukraine and Russia convened in Geneva for U.S.-mediated peace talks focusing on resolving the land dispute, a critical aspect of the ongoing conflict. While U.S. President Donald Trump is pushing for a resolution to the conflict, Zelenskyy has voiced concerns about the pressure on Ukraine to make concessions during the negotiations.
Zelenskyy urged allied nations to intensify pressure on Russia to secure a fair and lasting peace agreement through stricter sanctions and military support for Ukraine. Trump highlighted the importance of Ukraine’s participation in the talks and emphasized the need for swift progress towards a resolution.
Russia’s demand for Ukraine to relinquish the remaining 20% of the Donetsk region that it has yet to capture poses a significant hurdle to the negotiations. The agenda also includes discussions on the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant’s control and the potential involvement of Western forces in post-conflict Ukraine.
The Geneva talks, now relocated after previous rounds in Abu Dhabi, are anticipated to address a range of critical issues, including land disputes, economic matters, and security concerns. The delegations from both sides are led by key officials, with hopes for substantial progress towards a comprehensive peace agreement.
