Ukraine in the dark after Russian raids, Zelensky: "Shortage of Patriots"

Ukraine is facing severe disruptions in electricity, water, and heating following a new wave of Russian attacks on energy infrastructure. At least two people have been killed and a dozen injured. The Northern Bridge in Kyiv has also been damaged. President Volodymyr Zelensky accuses Moscow of intensifying bombings to exert pressure ahead of the upcoming trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi.

Zelensky attributed the significant consequences of the attacks to a shortage of Patriot defensive missiles. In the latest wave, according to the Ukrainian leader, 36 ballistic missiles and 172 drones were deployed. On the military aid front, Germany has halted, at least for now, new supplies of Patriot systems, with Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stating, "We cannot do more at the moment," citing the need to preserve their own stockpiles.

The war between Russia and Ukraine erupted in February 2022, when Russia launched a large-scale invasion of Ukrainian territory. The conflict arose from tensions accumulated after Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and Moscow's support for separatists in eastern Ukraine. Russia justified the invasion on security grounds, while Ukraine and its Western allies consider it an unprovoked aggression.

Throughout the war, Russia has repeatedly targeted Ukrainian energy infrastructure, especially approaching winter, to weaken the resistance of the population and the state. Air defense, particularly the Patriot systems supplied by Western allies, has become crucial to protect this infrastructure. However, the stocks of these systems are limited both in Ukraine and in donor countries. Simultaneously, negotiation attempts are underway, such as the upcoming trilateral talks referenced by Zelenskyy, which involve Ukraine, Russia, and the United States, while some European allies fear that their direct involvement could "complicate the process."