Zelenskiy says Russia has cracked down on Ukraine’s power infrastructure and the United States should respond

JINGVI (Reuters) – Russian artillery damaged Ukraine’s energy infrastructure in the front-line city of Hosen, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Thursday, two days after the United States announced that both sides agreed to a ceasefire of energy strikes.

“Two days ago, there was no strike on the energy sector one night, and now the city of Helsen’s energy infrastructure is damaged by Russian artillery,” Zelenskiy said in Paris. “I believe the United States should take action to respond.”

The United States announced a separate deal with Keefe and Moscow on Tuesday to suspend energy installations in the Black Sea and each other, the first deal since Donald Trump returned to the White House in January.

“As long as no one knows who is monitoring what…, all this (evidence) will be prepared and transferred to the United States, and then we are waiting for the U.S. response because they tell us they will respond to the violations.”

Kherson Region Governor Oleksandr Prokudin said work is continuing to restore the power of consumers who have no supply due to Russian shelling.

Moscow accused Kiev of using drones to attack energy facilities in Russia’s Kursk and Bryansk regions and the occupied Crimea on Wednesday.

The Ukrainian military denied the allegations.

“The military (Russian) continues to generate fakes, trying to make unfounded allegations against Ukraine and extend the war,” the military said in a statement on the Telegram App.

Russia, which began a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, now accounts for about 20% of the country, believes it has observed an energy strike since March 18.

Zelenskiy also said he believes the Trump administration’s position on Russia should be more firm, adding that Ukraine needs Washington’s help to negotiate strongly.

(Reported by Yuliia Dysa; Writing by Max Hunder and Tom Balmforth; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Mark Heinrich)