Ukraine is facing a severe humanitarian crisis after a wave of brutal Russian strikes targeted its critical energy infrastructure overnight, leaving millions without power, heat, and water as temperatures plummet.
Deliberate Terror and Freezing Conditions
With southern and southeastern regions bracing for temperatures well below freezing, potentially as low as minus eight degrees Celsius, the attacks have created a life-threatening situation. Locals in cities like Zaporizhzhia and Dnipro are being forced to seek refuge in emergency "resilience centres"—heated tents offering warmth, water, and charging stations.
Lieutenant Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine's Centre for Countering Disinformation, condemned the assaults, stating: "This is intentional terror against civilians and an attempt to create a humanitarian catastrophe." Regional officials have urgently advised residents to stockpile water, with Mykola Lukashuk, head of the Dnipropetrovsk Regional Council, warning there is currently no timeline for restoring power in the worst-hit areas.
Western Troops Declared 'Legitimate Targets'
The crisis unfolds amid heightened diplomatic tensions. On Thursday, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova reiterated Moscow's stance, declaring that any Western military units deployed in Ukraine would be considered "legitimate targets."
This warning was a direct response to a recent "declaration of intent" signed by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron. The agreement, part of a Coalition of the Willing, pledged to deploy a multinational force to guarantee Ukraine's security in the event of a peace deal. Zakharova characterised the pact as a "new militaristic declaration."
Thwarted 'False Flag' Plot Revealed
In a separate development, Kyiv's Foreign Intelligence Service (SZRU) issued a rare public statement claiming to have disrupted a sinister Russian plan. According to the intelligence agency, the Kremlin was preparing a "mass casualty operation" on its own territory or in occupied Ukraine, with the intent of blaming Kyiv for the deaths.
The SZRU suggested the "armed provocation" was likely planned against an Orthodox Christian church or another site of high symbolic significance, potentially timed around Orthodox Christmas celebrations. While the plot is believed to have been thwarted after exposure in the press, officials warned such a scheme could be attempted in the future.
As Ukraine grapples with the energy crisis, it continues its campaign targeting Russian oil supplies and refineries, aiming to disrupt the Kremlin's war finances. Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its drone and missile attacks, seeking to break civilian morale during the harsh winter.
