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Bakhmut Region: A Ukrainian artillery vehicle fires
Photo: Libkos / dpa
Selenskyj sees his troops advancing
Despite the massive Russian rocket attacks on the energy plants in Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj sees his country's troops advancing in the Moscow-held areas.
The armed forces are advancing on the front every day, the Russians' blows against the infrastructure cannot stop them, Zelensky said in his video message distributed in Kyiv on Saturday evening: "The Ukrainians are united and know very well that Russia has no chance of taking this to win the war."
Zelenskyj had previously complained about a large number of Russian rocket attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure on Saturday.
No strike by the "Russian terrorists" could stop the country, he said: "The Russian propagandists are lying when they say that this terror against our infrastructure and population could somehow slow down the active actions of our military." Zelenskyj announced that in a vote working with the US on sanctions against Kremlin propagandists.
Russia is already retreating on the battlefield and realizes that it is losing.
The aggressor is therefore trying to feign military victories by attacking civilians and infrastructure, Zelenky said.
The Ukrainian Armed Forces received everything they needed to defend the country every day.
It is not yet possible to fend off all Russian attacks.
Selenskyj emphasized that this will be possible with the help of the West.
According to Ukrainian information, there were a total of 40 rocket attacks on Saturday, and the Russian side also sent 16 Iranian drones.
20 rockets and eleven combat drones had been shot down, according to Kyiv.
Sunday is the 242nd day of the war.
Kyiv warns of catastrophe over Moscow attacks on power plants
In view of the severe damage to the energy infrastructure, Selenskyj once again called on the population to save electricity.
According to him, the regions of Khmelnytskyi, Odessa, Zaporizhia and Dnipropetrovsk were among the many others affected by the attacks.
"The main target of the terrorists is energy," Zelenskyy said.
The stability of supply in the country depends on each city.
In some cases, the supply has already been restored.
According to the presidential administration, around 1.5 million customers of the energy supplier Ukrenerho were without electricity in the country.
Zelenskyi's adviser Mykhailo Podoliak said Russia was trying to push Ukrainians into a new mass flight to Europe.
"The only way to stop a humanitarian catastrophe is to quickly deliver anti-aircraft systems and additional missiles," Podoliak said.
It is feared that because of the cold and darkness and the lack of energy, people will get into even greater distress and flee.
Zelenskyi once again accused Russia of "typical terrorist tactics".
"The world can and must stop this terror," said the head of state.
Russian border region: Dead after shelling from Ukrainian side
Once again, the Russian border region of Belgorod complained of shelling from the Ukrainian side.
Two people were killed in the border town of Schebekino on Saturday, Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.
Eleven people were injured, four of them seriously.
According to Gladkow, the shelling also hit energy infrastructure.
He did not give details.
Around 15,000 people were temporarily without electricity, heating and water.
The Belgorod region, along with other border regions such as Kursk and Bryansk, has repeatedly complained of fire from the other side since the beginning of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine.
Ukraine has not admitted the allegations.
Russia had repeatedly threatened to take even tougher action in the war and also to target command centers in Kyiv if the shelling didn't stop.
According to the governor, the situation has worsened in recent weeks.
Those who live very close to the border with Ukraine should therefore be accommodated near Moscow, he said.
Gladkow also ordered stricter surveillance of energy infrastructure objects.
Because of the tense situation, he had brought the autumn holidays forward and extended them.
What will be important on Sunday
Despite the threat of Russian missile and drone attacks, the Ukrainian armed forces continued their offensive to liberate the Russian-held territories.
According to Zelenskyj, the army is advancing.
The situation is particularly tense in the southern region of Cherson, where, from the Ukrainian point of view, there are more and more successes.
The occupiers called on the people to leave Cherson.
Russia had admitted that the situation for its troops there was difficult.
ptz/dpa
