Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged the United Nations Security Council to act against Russia over air strikes on civilian infrastructure that again plunged Ukrainian cities into darkness and cold as winter sets in.
Russia unleashed a missile barrage across Ukraine on Wednesday, killing 10 people, forcing shutdowns of nuclear power plants and cutting water and electricity supply in many places.
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT – Russian missiles rained down on Ukraine, knocking out electricity in the Kyiv region and elsewhere https://t.co/qhA4PfkdJ4 pic.twitter.com/hcDtdHmNLh
— Reuters (@Reuters) November 24, 2022
All of the Kyiv region, where over 3 million people live, lost electricity and running water, the city’s governor reported. Much of Ukraine suffered similar problems and some regions implemented emergency blackouts to help conserve energy and carry out repairs.
Kyiv central railway station is illuminated and keeps running. Will withstand. pic.twitter.com/bmjkIjfp62
— Alexander Kamyshin (@AKamyshin) November 23, 2022
“Today is just one day, but we have received 70 missiles. That is the Russian formula of terror. This is all against our energy infrastructure… Hospitals, schools, transport, residential districts all suffered,” Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy said via video link to the council chamber.
Ukraine was waiting to see “a very firm reaction” from the world to Wednesday’s air strikes, he added.
I have instructed our Ambassador to the UN to request an urgent meeting of UNSC following today’s Russian strikes. Murder of civilians, ruining of civilian infrastructure are acts of terror. Ukraine keeps demanding a resolute response of international community to these crimes.
— Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) November 23, 2022
However, the council is unlikely to take any action in response to the appeal since Russia is a member with veto power.
French President Emmanuel Macron referred to Wednesday’s missile strike on the same day. “Russian attacks on civilian infrastructure in Ukraine are war crimes and cannot go unpunished,” he said.
Macron said he plans to hold talks with Vladimir Putin in the coming days! pic.twitter.com/ZUlfXLf96M
— Geo_monitor (@colonelhomsi) November 23, 2022
The president also announced that he intends to contact Vladimir Putin by telephone in the coming days to discuss with him, among other things, the issue of preserving the security of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant.