Several Without Power In Ukraine's Odesa As Russia's Attack Causes Blackouts Zelensky Reacts

(MENAFN- Live Mint) Ukraine's southern port city of Odesa and its surrounding areas experienced widespread blackouts on Saturday following a major overnight Russian assault on the power grid, leaving over a million households without electricity, according to Reuters.

President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that Russia had attacked Ukraine with over 450 drones and 30 missiles.

Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko described it as one of the war's largest attacks on Odesa where both electricity and water supplies were disrupted, the report noted. She added that non-drinking water was being brought in to parts of the city.

Ukraine's interior minister Ihor Klymenko mentioned that over a million households across Ukraine had been left without power and noted that five people had been injured in the attack.

The Ukrainian power grid operator said a "significant number" of households in Odesa and Mykolaiv were without electricity, and that the Ukrainian-controlled section of the frontline in Kherson was completely without power.

Since its 2022 invasion, Moscow has frequently targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure, causing daily blackouts lasting hours.

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Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that it carried out strikes on Ukrainian energy and military-industrial facilities.

Upcoming Germany meeting

Meanwhile, as per a PTI report, Germany is preparing to host Ukrainian President Zelensky on Monday for discussions, as momentum builds in peace efforts and European leaders work to guide the negotiations.

For several months, American negotiators have been attempting to balance the demands of both sides, with US President Donald Trump advocating for a quick resolution to Russia's war, even as he grows increasingly frustrated by delays. Efforts to find potential compromises have reportedly encountered a significant hurdle concerning the fate of Ukrainian territory presently occupied by Russian forces.

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A US official stated overnight that Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, along with his son-in-law Jared Kushner, were traveling to Germany for discussions with Ukrainian and European representatives.

Sending Witkoff, who has been leading US negotiations with Ukraine and Russia over a peace proposal, seemed to signal that Washington believed there was an opportunity for progress. The White House had previously indicated on Thursday that Trump would only send an official to the talks if sufficient progress appeared possible.

As per Reuters, a German government source when asked about the meetings, stated, "Talks on a possible ceasefire in Ukraine are taking place in Berlin this weekend between foreign policy advisors from, among others, the U.S. and Ukraine."

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