The United States accused Russia on Friday (11/04/2022) of trying to “freeze” Ukrainians by bombing their power plants ahead of winter, given the impossibility of stopping the counteroffensive that forced it to evacuate civilians from the conquered city of Kherson (south).
“It appears that President (Vladimir) Putin has decided that if he cannot take Ukraine by force, he will try to do so by freezing it into submission,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said after a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in Germany.
In recent weeks, Russia has bombed Ukrainian energy facilities, and according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, more than 4.5 million people were left without electricity on Thursday as a result of the attacks.
The G7 group of the world’s most advanced economies – the United States, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Canada and Japan – agreed to create a “coordination mechanism” to help Ukraine repair and defend its critical electricity and water infrastructure.
Before winter arrives, the device will aim to deliver, among other things, “water pumps, heaters, container houses and portable toilets, beds, blankets and tents,” said German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, whose country holds the G7 presidency. .
Half of Ukraine has heating to this day
Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmygal assured that they are preparing for “all scenarios”, but he guaranteed that “currently almost half of the buildings in all of Ukraine have heating”.
In addition, he pointed out that they have “sufficient reserves” of gas, accumulated 14.5 billion cubic meters, and up to 700 generators from foreign donors, and another 900 are on the way, he added.
The United States has also promised Kiev a $400 million security aid package that includes modernization of T-72 tanks and HAWK surface-to-air missiles.
Ukraine has an “urgent need for air defense,” said President Joe Biden’s national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, who was in Kiev.
gs (aFP, Reuters)