Intense Russian strikes leave more than 100K Ukrainians in the dark
An intense round of Russian air strikes cut off water and electricity to more than 100,000 households in northern Ukraine Saturday, leading Poland to divert some of its surplus energy to the war-torn nation.
Emergency repairs were underway on the national electrical grid, but it was not clear late Saturday when power would be restored.
The Russian strikes also prompted emergency shut-offs for the residents living in Sumy, located right near the northeastern border with Russia.
At least 12 people were killed and over 50 injured in the past day of fighting, the Kyiv Independent reported.
Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin told Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán during a face-to-face in the Kremlin on Friday that if Ukraine wants the war to end, it must capitulate.
Putin said “the number of steps need to end the war and bring about peace is many,” including Ukraine’s withdrawal of all its troops from four eastern provinces Moscow claims to have annexed.
Ukrainian officials said they had nothing to do with setting up the meet with Orbán, and European leaders criticized the Hungarian PM for meeting with Putin.
In other news, a new report contends nearly 120,000 Russian soldiers have been killed since the start of the Ukraine in February 2022.
This latest figure is based on information furnished by the Russian government.
The report indicates the true Russian soldier death toll could be closer to 140,000.
That’s a far cry from the nearly 550,000 troops Ukraine claims Russia has lost in its “meat grinder” battles in the east.
There are also new reports that Russian soldiers continue lashing out at each other, with 135 instances of soldiers killing comrades last year alone.
Experts said the number is likely much higher.
Other violent crimes soldiers were charged with in 2023 include manslaughter, violation of firearm handling rules, and assault.
Russia has repeatedly allowed convicts to be released from prisons to join the fighting on the front lines since its invasion.
In Russia, many of the manslaughter cases have been covered up, with officials downgrading charges to “violation of firearm handling rules,” with 32 such cases last year.
With Post wires
