While the boss of Yasno, a major energy supplier in kyiv, said that Ukraine was facing a 32% deficit in its electricity supply, the Ukrainian president said on Sunday November 6 that Russia would lead “massive attacks” against energy infrastructure. He also made it clear that his country was “ready to govern with that”. Earlier in the day, the president’s adviser, Mykhailo Podolyak, vowed that Ukraine would “hold on”, despite the intensity of past and future attacks. According to him, the resistance will be made thanks to the weapons of air defense, the techniques of protection of the energy sites and the optimization of the consumption. In October alone, Russian strikes destroyed about a third of Ukraine’s power plants.
- The mayor of kyiv intends to prepare the inhabitants “for all scenarios”
While the national operator Ukrenergo announced on Saturday that “additional restrictions” on electricity were being introduced in Kyiv and several other regions of Ukraine, the New York Times says authorities have planned the evacuation of the city’s three million residents in the event of a long-lasting blackout. This Sunday, the mayor of the capital, Vitali Klitschko, urged residents to “consider everything”, including the loss of electricity and water. “If you have extended family or friends outside kyiv, where there is an autonomous water supply, an oven, heating, keep in mind the possibility of staying there for a while”, did he declare.
- Residents of Kherson without water and electricity
The situation so dreaded by the inhabitants of kyiv is that which those of Kherson, a city annexed at the end of September by Russia, are experiencing. It was cut off from all water and electricity supplies on Sunday after airstrikes damaged pylons and the Kakhovka dam. “In Kherson and a number of other areas of the region there is temporarily no electricity or water supply,” the city’s pro-Russian administration said on Telegram. Russia has accused Ukraine of an act of “sabotage”.
For its part, Ukraine said that Russia was urging residents of Kherson to evacuate the city, sending them messages on their phones. According to kyiv, Russian soldiers warn civilians that the Ukrainian army is preparing for a massive attack on the city. The administration installed by Moscow has already expelled tens of thousands of civilians.
- The United States dialogues with Russia to avoid a nuclear conflict…
According to wall street journal, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan held secret talks with senior Russian officials in hopes of reducing the risk of nuclear conflict. The newspaper quotes US and allied officials as saying Sullivan has had undisclosed conversations in recent months with Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov and Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev. The White House declined to comment for this article.
- … And asks Ukraine to remain open to negotiations
In its November 5 edition, the washington postwrites that the Biden administration would, behind the scenes, encourage Ukrainian leaders to show that they are ready to negotiate with Russia. The demands expressed by US officials are not aimed at bringing kyiv back to the negotiating table but rather at ensuring that Ukraine retains the support of other nations, according to the newspaper.
These discussions show the complexity of the Biden administration’s position vis-à-vis Ukraine, with American officials publicly pledging to support kyiv “as long as necessary” while hoping for a resolution of the conflict. According to the Washington Post, they share the view of the Ukrainians, according to which Russian President Vladimir Putin does not seriously consider resuming negotiations for the time being. However, they acknowledged that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s refusal to talk to his Russian counterpart had raised concerns in some countries in Europe, Africa and Latin America, where the conflict has led to a rise in food and fuel.
- The German Chancellor justifies the benefits of his trip to China
Strongly criticized for his trip to Beijing this week, the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, justified on Saturday afternoon that the joint declaration of China and Germany had “alone been worth the trip”. The two governments have agreed to “jointly oppose the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons” in Ukraine. The Chinese president nevertheless refrained from criticizing Russia or calling on Moscow to withdraw its troops.