Kyiv, Oct 17:
Russian attacks on nine regions of Ukraine have triggered emergency power outages affecting hundreds of thousands of households, damaged homes and injured at least 15 people, Ukrainian officials said on Friday, as concerns grow over the country’s ability to withstand intensified aerial assaults ahead of winter.
The latest strikes came amid deteriorating relations between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. The growing friction has raised fears in Kyiv and across Europe that Ukraine could become more vulnerable if Washington reduces its military and intelligence support.
Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukraine’s energy infrastructure before winter, seeking to disrupt electricity, heating and water supplies to civilian communities. Ukrainian officials have warned that Moscow is stockpiling ballistic missiles for further attacks in the coming months, increasing concerns about the pressure on the country’s air defences.
Ukraine on Thursday abandoned a brief truce covering energy-related targets, saying Russia had failed to observe the arrangement despite Trump’s call for a ceasefire. The continuing attacks have reinforced concerns that diplomatic efforts to halt the conflict remain far from producing a lasting agreement.
Zelenskyy attended a summit of European leaders in Brussels on Friday, seeking to strengthen support from the European Union as tensions with Washington intensified. Leaders of the 27-member bloc expressed their commitment to supporting Ukraine and called on the United States to increase pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Ukrainian president said he wanted the war to end as quickly as possible but maintained that there were no indications that Russia was prepared to stop fighting. He also stressed the need for Ukraine to prepare for winter in the absence of clear progress towards peace.
The public exchange between Zelenskyy and Trump has added uncertainty to the future of American assistance. Zelenskyy said on Thursday that he felt betrayed by the US President, who openly expressed his dislike of the Ukrainian leader. The disagreement has raised questions about whether Washington will continue providing the support Kyiv needs to defend itself.
Ukraine is particularly short of US-made Patriot air defence missiles, which are essential for intercepting Russia’s devastating ballistic missile attacks. Zelenskyy has repeatedly appealed to Washington for additional supplies.
He has also complained about disruptions to Western intelligence-sharing arrangements and restrictions involving Starshield, SpaceX’s military-oriented satellite communications service used to support Ukraine’s drone operations and military communications.
Trump’s diesel-related deal with Russia has further angered Kyiv, which argues that commercial arrangements involving Russian energy could provide Moscow with additional revenue to sustain its military campaign.
European leaders are attempting to persuade Washington to maintain its commitment to Ukraine. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it was becoming increasingly difficult to convince the American administration to apply stronger pressure on Russia. Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin also acknowledged widespread concern across Europe about the situation.
Meanwhile, civilian casualties from Russian attacks have risen sharply. The United Nations human rights office in Kyiv reported that at least 328 civilians were killed and 2,105 injured in September. The combined figure was 85 per cent higher than in September last year. The UN office warned that the first two weeks of October had been among the deadliest periods for civilians in years.
Russia has targeted not only power infrastructure but also apartment buildings, public transport, cargo ships, data centres and food storage facilities, according to the report.
Ukraine has continued retaliatory operations using domestically developed long-range drones. Russia’s Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 644 Ukrainian drones overnight across several Russian regions, Russian-annexed Crimea and the Black Sea.
The drone attacks also disrupted air traffic. Nearly 160 flights were delayed or cancelled at Moscow’s four airports, while another 46 flights were delayed or cancelled at St Petersburg airport, according to Russian aviation and media reports.
With winter approaching, Ukraine faces the twin challenges of defending its energy infrastructure and maintaining international support. The latest attacks and the public disagreement between Zelenskyy and Trump have intensified uncertainty over the military and diplomatic direction of the conflict.