WATER AND ELECTRICITY supplies have been restored in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv, a day after being knocked out by Russian missile strikes, the city’s mayor has said.
“Water supplies to the homes of Kyiv residents have been fully restored … Electricity supplies in Kyiv have also been restored” Vitali Klitschko said on social media.
But Klitschko said there would still be planned power cuts in the city “because of the considerable deficit in the power system after the barbaric attacks of the aggressor”.
The Ukrainian military said Russia had launched 55 cruise missiles and dozens of other munitions across the country on Monday.
Presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovich called the bombardment “one of the most massive shellings of our territory by the army of the Russian Federation”.
But he noted that thanks to improved air defences, including with Western aid, “the destruction is not as critical as it could be”.
Ukraine says Russian strikes over the past month have destroyed around a third of its power stations and has urged Ukrainians to save on electricity as much as possible.
‘Cold winter ahead’
Three missiles struck a site to the north of Kyiv, a soldier close to the target told AFP.
In a nearby town, Mila Ryabova, 39, told AFP she was woken by between eight and 10 “powerful explosions”.
“We were together with my family, preparing my daughter for school, but now there is no electricity in our house and at school,” said Ryabova, a translator.
“But we are worrying and talking about opportunities to move abroad, because there is a cold winter ahead. We may not have electricity, heat supply.”
Previous strikes this month have already destroyed about a third of Ukraine’s power stations.
Meanwhile, UN nuclear watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) again raised concerns about the situation around Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant, saying in a statement that a landmine explosion had cut power to one of its reactors.
“In a further sign of the precarious situation in the area of the ZNPP, the IAEA team said there had been shelling in the vicinity of the plant in recent days, following a period of reduced military activity,” the watchdog said.
The IAEA also confirmed it had begun independent “verification activities” at two locations in Ukraine to determine whether any “undeclared nuclear activities” were taking place after Russia accused Kyiv of producing a so-called “dirty bomb”.
Kyiv, which invited the IAEA inspectors, has counter-alleged that Moscow might itself use a dirty bomb in a “false flag” attack.
Grain deal
Monday’s strikes came after Russia pulled out of a landmark agreement that allowed vital grain shipments via a maritime safety corridor.
The July deal to unlock grain exports signed between warring nations Russia and Ukraine – and brokered by Turkey and the United Nations – is critical to easing the global food crisis caused by the conflict.
But Russia announced on Saturday it would suspend its participation in the deal after accusing Kyiv of a “massive” drone attack on its Black Sea fleet, which Ukraine labelled a “false pretext”.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov warned that continuing grain exports without Russian participation was “hardly feasible”.
The Russian defence ministry said Monday that it wanted “additional commitments” from Ukraine not to use the grain exports corridor for military purposes.
In his evening address Monday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the grain deal breakdown was “clear evidence that Russia will continue to oppose itself to the entire international community”, adding it was “very important now to prevent this global destabilisation”.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, repeated the accusation that Ukraine used the grain corridor for the attack, saying Kyiv had put civilian ships in danger, and calling on it to guarantee “that there will be no threat to the safety of civilian vessels”.
Despite Russia’s decision to suspend its participation, at least 10 cargo ships loaded with grain and other agricultural products left Ukrainian ports Monday, according to a marine traffic website.
“Civilian cargo ships can never be a military target or held hostage. The food must flow,” Amir Abdulla, UN coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative, said on Twitter.
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