45,000 in Ukraine without power after Russian strikes

Tens of thousands of people in southern Ukraine have been left without power after Russian strikes, despite Kremlin claims it is not launching attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure, Kyiv said on Tuesday.

Russia has rejected a joint US-Ukrainian proposal for an unconditional and full ceasefire, but says it agreed a temporary halt on Ukrainian energy sites. Kyiv says Russia has repeatedly hit energy sites anyway.

“This morning, another Russian strike damaged a power facility in Kherson, leaving 45,000 residents without electricity,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga told a news conference.

Russia has launched systematic aerial attacks on Ukrainian power plants and grid since invading in February 2022.

Moscow has also accused Kyiv of striking Russian energy sites and on Tuesday said there had been fresh attacks in the Russian region of Belgorod and the partially Moscow-controlled Ukrainian region of Zaporizhzhia.

At the start of a meeting with top security officials Tuesday, President Vladimir Putin asked Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov to update him on how “agreements are being fulfilled with regard to the end of mutual strikes on energy systems between Russia and Ukraine”.

Only Putin’s opening remarks were broadcast.

Ukraine’s Sybiga also said Kyiv and Washington were holding fresh talks on a minerals agreement that would give the United States access to Ukrainian natural resources in return for more support.

“It is always important to strengthen the presence of American business in Ukraine, so this process is ongoing, and we will work with our American colleagues to reach a mutually acceptable text for signing,” he added.

The two countries had planned to sign a deal in February on extracting Ukraine’s strategically important minerals, until a spectacular televised clash between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky derailed the agreement.

Trump on Sunday warned Zelensky he would have “big problems” if Kyiv rejected the latest US proposal, details of which have not been published by either side.

Russia cannot accept US proposals to end the war in Ukraine in their current form because they do not address problems Moscow regards as having caused the conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, suggesting US-Russia talks on the subject had stalled.

The comments by Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov suggest Moscow and Washington have so far been unable to bridge differences which President Vladimir Putin raised more than two weeks ago when he said U.S. proposals needed reworking.

They come as Trump appears to be growing increasingly impatient with what he has suggested might be foot-dragging over a wider deal by Moscow.

Trump in recent days has said he is “pissed off” with Putin and has spoken of imposing sanctions on countries that buy Russian oil if he feels Moscow is blocking a deal.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock accused Russian Putin of stalling talks to halt the fighting in Ukraine, during a visit to Kyiv on Tuesday.

“He is manoeuvring his way out of negotiations, continuing his illegal war of aggression and escalating with brutal, threatening attacks on houses,” Baerbock said at a press conference with her Ukrainian counterpart.

“Putin cannot be trusted in this situation,” she said. “There will only be a real and lasting peace when the Russian president realises that he cannot win this war, that his destruction is not successful.”

On March 11, Ukraine, whose army is struggling on the front line, agreed with the United States a plan for a 30-day ceasefire with Russia.

But Putin has rejected the US proposal and upped his rhetoric on Moscow wanting to install new leadership in Ukraine.

Baerbock was visiting Kyiv for the first time since the re-election of US President Donald Trump, who has upended US-Europe relations by reaching out to Russia over European heads to seek an end to the conflict.

The shift in policy has sparked concern over the future of the NATO alliance and prompted Europe to focus on boosting its own defence capabilities and increasing its support for Ukraine.

Agencies