Ukraine Accuses Russia of Attacking Energy Infrastructure Over 30 Times Since March

 

Ukraine Accuses Russia of Attacking Energy Infrastructure Over 30 Times Since March

Ukraine's foreign ministry has accused Russia of conducting more than 30 attacks on its energy infrastructure since both sides agreed to pause strikes on such targets in March. The accusation came amid renewed hostilities, with reports of attacks on key energy facilities across various regions.

Heorhii Tykhyi, spokesperson for the Ukrainian foreign ministry, stated during a news briefing that in the past 24 hours alone, Russian forces targeted energy facilities in Kherson and Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine, as well as Poltava in the central part of the country. "We consider that the energy ceasefire began on March 25," he said, adding, "Unfortunately, we can see that Russia is violating this agreement almost on a daily basis. Not even one month has passed since the agreement was made, but Russia has already violated this agreement over 30 times.

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Both Kyiv and Moscow have accused each other of violating the U.S.-brokered 30-day limited ceasefire intended to protect energy infrastructure. On the same day, Russia's defense ministry claimed that Ukraine had carried out six attacks on Russian energy targets within the previous day, as reported by the RIA state news agency.

Tykhyi further noted that Ukraine was providing detailed information about these alleged violations to its Western allies in an effort to garner additional support. The limited ceasefire on energy strikes was anticipated as a precursor to a broader ceasefire, which could pave the way for a peace agreement to resolve the ongoing conflict that has lasted over three years.

While Ukraine has expressed its willingness to agree to a more comprehensive ceasefire proposal from the United States, Moscow has effectively blocked negotiations by setting forth additional conditions.

Fighting continues to escalate along a front line stretching over 1,000 kilometers (approximately 600 miles). Reports indicate that Russian forces are actively pushing in eastern Ukraine, with the fiercest battles occurring in the regions surrounding Pokrovsk, Toretsk, and Lyman, according to Ukraine's military in its daily update. 

Moreover, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy has warned that Moscow is intensifying preparations for a new offensive in the northeastern regions of Kharkiv and Sumy, raising concerns about a potential escalation in hostilities.

As the situation evolves, Ukraine remains on high alert while seeking further international support to counter the ongoing Russian aggression.