Zelensky believes Russia is preparing a strike on Ukraine's energy sector and bridges

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Friday he had "information" about a Russian strike in preparation, which would target civil and energy infrastructure as well as bridges, while a meeting between Ukraine, the United States and Russia is to take place next week in Abu Dhabi.

“We have intelligence indicating that a new strike is being prepared against the energy sector, against our bridges over the Dnieper and against civilian infrastructure,” Mr. Zelensky said in his daily address, pleading with kyiv's partners to deliver interceptors to equip the Patriot air defense systems.

Recent Russian strikes have caused significant damage to the energy sector and infrastructure, particularly in the capital, and Ukraine fears another difficult winter in the face of intense bombardment from Moscow. Mr. Zelensky also said he had spoken with those in charge of the long-range Ukrainian strikes and that “Russia will receive our response.” A trilateral meeting is planned for November 10 and 11 in Abu Dhabi between envoys from kyiv, Washington and Moscow, to try to relaunch the negotiation process currently at a standstill since the outbreak of war in the Middle East in February.

The last meeting of this type between Russian, Ukrainian and American delegations took place in mid-February in Geneva, without leading to any progress towards a settlement of the conflict triggered by the large-scale Russian invasion in February 2022. Moscow demands in particular that the Ukrainian army withdraw entirely from the eastern region of Donetsk, which kyiv refuses, believing in particular that this would make the country vulnerable to new Russian attacks.