10 mn in Ukraine without power after Russia strikes, says Zelensky

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that some 10 million people across the war-torn country have been left without electricity following a fresh wave of Russian missile strikes.

In his night video address to the nation on Thursday, the President said: "Currently, more than 10 million Ukrainians are without electricity. Most of them are in the Vinnytsia, Odesa, Sumy and Kiev regions. We are doing everything to normalise the supply."

Zelensky went on to say that dozens of people were injured as a result of a missile attack on Thursday in Dnipro, adding that "everyone is being provided with aid".

"In Zaporizhzhia, the clearance of the rubble of a residential building, which was destroyed by Russian shelling at night, continues... The list of the dead includes seven people. Unfortunately, this number may increase," he said.

The President also said that earlier in the day, Ukrainian forces managed to shoot down six Russian cruise missiles and five drones.

In yet another appeal to allies and partners, Zelensky said that "only full protection of the Ukrainian sky will protect both Ukraine and Europe from many possible escalations of Russian aggression and will definitely encourage Russia to truly end the war".

Meanwhile, state-owned energy firm Naftogaz said its gas-producing facilities in the east of Ukraine had been subjected to a "massive attack", without giving additional details.

Ukraine was subjected to another wide-ranging assault on Tuesday when dozens of long-range missiles pounded the country in what was believed to be the most intense barrage since the start of the war on February 24, reports the BBC.

Many of the missiles fired by Russia on Tuesday were intercepted, but those that struck infrastructure targets managed to further deplete Ukraine's power reserves.

--IANS

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