KYIV, March 7 (Reuters) – Russian forces damaged Ukrainian energy and gas infrastructure overnight in their first major missile attack since the U.S. paused intelligence sharing with Ukraine, piling pressure on Kyiv as President Donald Trump seeks a swift end to the war.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, seeking to shore up Western support for his country after Trump’s diplomatic pivot towards Moscow, called for a truce covering air and sea, though not ground troops – an idea first mooted by France.
“The first steps to establishing real peace should be forcing the sole source of this war, Russia, to stop such attacks,” Zelenskiy said on the Telegram messaging app, responding to the overnight missile attack.
Ukraine’s air force said Russia had fired a salvo of 67 missiles and 194 drones in the overnight attack, adding that it had shot down 34 of the missiles and 100 of the drones.
Regional officials from the northeastern city of Kharkiv to the western city of Ternopil reported damage to energy and other infrastructure. Eight people were injured in Kharkiv and two more, including a child, were hurt in Poltava, officials said.
“Russia continues its energy terror,” Energy Minister German Galuschenko said. “Again energy and gas infrastructure in various regions of Ukraine has come under massive missile and drone fire.”
Russia targets Ukrainian cities and towns far from the front lines every night with drones, but Friday’s attack was the first large-scale assault since the suspension of the U.S. military aid and intelligence this week.
