Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski has said that Kyiv is suffering with special harshness the consequences of the latest Russian attacks on essential infrastructure. In his view, the capital is affected more than other areas of the country by the inability of local authorities to carry out properly the plans designed by the central Government.
"Both the population and companies are suffering prolonged power and water outages, and the situation is critical," he said in a new rebuke to Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko, whom he has accused for months of deficient management in the protection and organization of the city’s defense.
Zelenski explained that these failures are due, "to a large extent," to the fact that "the decisions made at the municipal level" have not been applied in order to prepare for the heating season and in view of the Russian operation against the Ukrainian energy sector.
The head of state added that the Executive is providing additional resources to local administrations to speed up adaptation and reinforcement works on infrastructure. He also indicated that agreements have been reached with countries such as Spain and Germany for the shipment of generators and other equipment essential for maintaining supply in the face of Russian attacks.
At the same time, Zelenski admitted that it is essential to bring in more personnel to speed up the repair and maintenance tasks for the damaged services. To this end, an economic incentives program has been launched for workers who participate in the restoration of the affected sectors.
In this line, Ukrainian Prime Minister Serhi Koretski has underlined that it is necessary for certain units of the Armed Forces to collaborate as well in the reconstruction of the power grid and of the damaged energy facilities.
Campaign on Russian refineries
Meanwhile, Zelenski met this Wednesday with the military leadership to analyze the attack strategy against Russian refineries, which are being put forward as a response to President Vladimir Putin’s decision to keep the offensive going against Ukraine’s electricity and energy grid.
"Our power plants, energy networks, heating supply, water supply facilities, and civil logistics are under constant attack," Zelenski warned, insisting that actions against Russian oil infrastructure will continue.
As he has detailed, the meeting has served to outline the next reaction of Ukrainian forces, after “Russia does not change its aggressive actions” despite the de-escalation proposals presented by Kiev.
In this regard, he has stressed that when “Putin decides to stop the war, silence could prevail,” something that, he has recalled, was recently demonstrated with the humanitarian truce declared in the Ukrainian city of Oleshki.