Russia attacking Ukrainian power plant... Ahead of the cold weather, there is a series of power outages (comprehensive)

(Rome = Yonhap News) Correspondent Min Gyeong-rak = Ahead of the cold weather, Ukraine is suffering from power outages due to Russia's persistent attacks on energy facilities.

According to Reuters on the 6th (local time), the Russian military announced that it attacked a power plant near the Sumy region of Ukraine overnight using a FAB-3000 glide bomb. This bomb, which weighs 6,600 pounds (approximately 3,000 kg), is said to be the most powerful bomb possessed by Russia.

Due to Russian attacks on energy facilities that continued overnight, electricity was cut off in seven Ukrainian oblasts, including Kiev, Kharkiv, and Chernihiv, this morning.

Ukrainian authorities said, “The situation in the metropolitan area is the most difficult,” adding, “Power facilities are seriously damaged and operations must be restricted.”

Due to recent Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy facilities, power outages continue throughout Ukraine. On the 3rd, power generation facilities and substations in nine regions of Ukraine, including Odessa, were attacked on a large scale, resulting in power outages and water outages. Kiiwu's centralized water system cannot operate pumps to supply tap water to homes and businesses when power is cut.

A war of words broke out between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and Kiev Mayor Vitaliy Klitschko over responsibility for the power outage and water outage in the Kiev region.

President Zelenskyy mentioned the power outage in Kiev on social media and pointed out that "this is the result of the failure to implement decisions made at the city level regarding preparations for the heating season."

Then, Mayor Klitschko responded through a video speech, saying, "If key facilities are not protected by air defense systems, it will be difficult for these facilities to survive." The argument is that the central government delayed Kiiu's facility protection plan, which worsened the situation.

Even in the early stages of the war in February 2022, the two had a conflict over the management of Kiiu's bomb shelters. Reuters interpreted it as "a re-emergence of the long-standing conflict between former TV comedian Zelensky and former boxing champion Klitschko."

Russia and Ukraine are scheduled to resume negotiations on the 10th to 11th, but there are no signs of easing tensions.

In particular, many observers say that it is unclear whether there will be progress in the negotiations as difficult issues such as the Donbas territorial issue remain. Russia's stance is that it will continue to use military force until it secures the Donbas region, but Ukraine is fighting back, saying it cannot give up its territory.

As suspicions of hybrid terrorism, such as aircraft bomb threats and refrigerator hacking, have recently been raised in Europe, voices are growing that the European Union (EU) should also actively participate in the end-of-war negotiations between Russia and Ukraine.

According to AFP, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni recently called for the appointment of an EU special envoy to dialogue with Russia in a letter to EU Summit President Antonio Costa.

Prime Minister Meloni criticized Europe's response to Russia in a disorganized manner and urged, "I hope that there will be a final decision on who will sit at the negotiating table on behalf of the EU."