Ukraine war briefing: Russia ramping up attacks to ‘pressure’ Kyiv at trilateral talks, Zelenskyy says

President urges US for support, saying ‘Ukraine must not be left to face this alone’ as barrage plunges cities into darkness. What we know on day 1,719 Volodymyr Zelenskyy has accused Russia of intensifying strikes across the country to put pressure on Kyiv at upcoming talks after an overnight barrage triggered power cuts as temperatures drop.

“By intensifying its attacks on Ukraine and our infrastructure at this very moment, Russia is trying to additionally lay the groundwork for putting pressure on Ukraine’s position and that of its partners,” the Ukrainian president said. “Russia perceives diplomacy in its own peculiar way – as a form of aggression.”

Ukraine’s energy ministry said “a massive attack on a number of energy facilities” on Saturday had plunged five regions into darkness and significantly hampered electricity transmission in Kyiv and surrounding regions. Russia had throughout the night launched 172 drones and 36 ballistic missiles, Zelenskyy said, among which were KN-23 missiles manufactured and supplied by North Korea.

The strikes came before a US-brokered trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi scheduled for next week aimed at reviving stalled diplomatic efforts towards peace. Ukrainian officials are expected to sit down with Russian negotiators and US envoys on Tuesday and Wednesday for the first such talks in months. The diplomatic track has been stalled since February when Washington shifted attention to its war with Iran. Zelenskyy also urged the US to...

Read the original report at The Guardian.