Published on
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the US administration to respond to Russia’s recent attacks against Ukraine and the country’s civilian energy infrastructure, saying the Kremlin did not respect the “energy truce” initiated by US President Donald Trump.
“We await the reaction of America to the Russian strikes. It was the US proposal—to halt strikes on energy during diplomacy and severe winter weather,” Zelenskyy said in his Tuesday evening address.
“The president of the United States made the request personally. Russia responded with a record number of ballistic missiles.”
On Tuesday, Moscow attacked Ukraine with 450 missiles and 71 missiles, including 32 ballistic Iskander missiles — a record number launched in a single aerial attack.
Russia targeted power plants and infrastructure in Kyiv and multiple locations across Ukraine causing “the most powerful blow” so far this year, according to the country’s largest private energy company, DTEK.
The attack left more than 1,000 residential buildings in Kyiv with no heat as the temperatures across Ukraine dropped below -20C, with millions of people facing extreme cold at their homes, while often also being without water.
“This speaks volumes about Russia’s promises. If their word doesn’t hold even now, what can be expected next,” Zelenskyy said.
“They’re incorrigible in Moscow—trying to take advantage of the cold, because they cannot subdue Ukraine through assaults. Russia’s bet on war must receive a response,” he emphasised.
Trump: Putin ‘kept his word’
Last Thursday, Trump said Russian President Vladimir Putin promised he would not bomb Ukraine’s energy infrastructure for a week.
Zelenskyy admitted it was not an officially agreed ceasefire, but described it as an “opportunity”.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Tuesday, hours after one of Moscow’s largest attacks, the US president said Putin had “kept his word” regarding a temporary truce on strikes against Ukraine’s critical energy infrastructure.
“(The pause) was for Sunday to Sunday,” Trump said. “It opened up and (Putin) hit them hard… He kept his word on that. One week is a lot — we will take anything.”
Russia did attack Ukraine during this “pause”, launching over 200 drones and one ballistic missile against Ukraine during just four days, from 29 January until 1 February.
Moscow targeted railroads and other facilities, although it refrained from the energy infrastructure, Zelenskyy said.
He explained that the pause was supposed to hold until the next round of talks in Abu Dhabi, scheduled for Sunday, but was then postponed to later this week.
“The meeting was postponed for reasons unrelated to Ukraine, to Wednesday–Thursday. And from our perspective, de-escalation should have continued. Yet, it has not.”
From Sunday 25 January to Sunday 1 February, the number of Russian drones and missiles launched against Ukraine is even higher.
On 27 January, a Russian drone strike on a passenger train in north-eastern Ukraine killed five people, Ukraine’s prosecutors said.